Harry Potter and the Blue Lights
by rokerbaby93087
Summary: One of my first stories. I know it's pretty horrible but I keep it here because I was asked to. You may read and review if you wish. :
1. The Fight

_A note from rokerbaby93087:_

Hey all! This was my first fan fic. It's supposed to by my version of Harry's 6th year. Please note that this was written BEFORE Half-Blood Prince came out. Some parts in this story are a little PG - nothing too bad though. I know this story is a mile long, but please give it a chance. I worked forever on it. Thanks much!

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Smash!_ Harry was hit in the left eye by Dudley. It was only the second week of summer vacation, and they were already fighting. But this time Harry was beating him worse. Dudley had been making fun of him because of his dream talking. Harry pushed Dudley hard and he fell onto his back. Harry started punching him everywhere. He didn't care that he might be locked in his room for doing this. He just wanted to beat the heck out of Dudley. But Harry had picked a bad time and place to fight, because his Uncle Vernon was just coming home. Harry felt himself being pulled off of Dudley and thrown across the yard. Harry looked up and watched Aunt Petunia half dragging Dudley into the house, while Uncle Vernon turned around to deal with him. He grabbed Harry's shirt collar and picked him up off the ground. "Now you listen to me boy. You're going to be locked in that room for the rest of the summer. And if I so much as even hear Dudley complain about you..." He couldn't seem to find the right words to finish the threat. Harry was dragged up the stairs and thrown into his room.

He fell hard against the bedside table. The door was slammed and locked. Harry stood up. He'd hit is side so hard that it felt like a rib or two were broken. _Too bad Hedwig isn't here,_ he thought. _I'm sure the order would love to know that I'm being abused again._ As if it could read his thoughts, a large barn owl soared through the window. It was carrying an important looking letter. Harry tore it open and saw that it was from Remus. "Hold on." he said to the owl, which was now pecking at his arm. "I wanta write back." Harry pulled out the letter and read:

'Harry,  
I hope everything's all right. There will be a member of the order coming to see you soon. Let me know if they aren't treating you well.  
Remus'

Harry quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down everything that had just happened. As he watched the owl fly away, he heard the door being unlocked. He quickly hid the letter in the sheets of his bed. Uncle Vernon came in. "Alright you. Now you're going to stay in here -"

"I don't think that's such a good idea. Mad Eye Moody and the rest of the order will be here in five seconds. They already know that you threw me across the room. We talk a lot." Harry gave him a smile and sat down on his bed. Uncle Vernon seemed to be trying to understand what Harry had just said.

"You've been talking with them?"

"Of course. They told me too, remember?" Uncle Vernon seemed to have finally gotten the message. He left the room and slammed the door.

Harry got up and looked in the mirror. He had a lovely black eye, and his glasses were broken. "Great, just great."

Later that night, Harry went down to dinner. Dudley was as far away as he could possibly be from Harry. He was pretending to be scared. Harry ignored him and poked at his food. He wasn't hungry. Harry's thoughts turned to what had happened in the ministry only a few weeks ago. He wondered what had happen to Sirius, after he had fallen behind the veil. _Why couldn't he come back? It was just a stupid curtain. Maybe I could go back and look,_ Harry thought. He thought of what Hermione's and Ron's reactions would be. They'd never let him go. _After what happened, they'll probably lock me in the common room; well, if Dumbledore doesn't do it first._ Harry really didn't want to stay in the kitchen. He tried to leave, but just as he was getting up, he heard a loud pop. Someone had apparated, right in the Dursley's living room. Hoping to see Lupin, or anyone but the Dursley's, Harry ran toward the living room. Before he could even open the door, Nymphadora Tonks walked in. "Tonks!"

Tonks walked to the table. "Sorry to interrupt, I just need a minute to talk with Harry." Uncle Vernon nodded, and Aunt Petunia looked as if someone had slapped her.

Harry walked into the living room, and Tonks followed. "Come on, we can talk in my room." He ran up the stairs.  
"Oh Harry I have something to tell you." They walked into his room. "This room is so much better than the rest of the house. Well it is a bit messy, but at least it isn't too clean. Alright, I have to hurry, because we're having a meeting in" she looked at her watch "wow a half hour. So I'll make this quick. So, let's talk, since that's what we're supposed to be doing. Nice eye by the way."

Harry touched his black eye. "Dudley tried to beat me up. I think I beat him worse though."

Tonks laughed again. "I'm surprised that he didn't try to sit on you. He could have easily killed you that way." She looked back down at her watch. "I have to get going Harry. Sorry I can't stay longer."

"Wait" Harry said "You had something to tell me?"

"Oh yeah. Mrs. Weasley called and asked if you can come to their house. Albus said it was all right. But you can't go until next week, because they're leaving."

"They're leaving?"

"Yeah, they have to go get Charlie. Something about an accident with a Hungarian Horntail." Harry remembered his encounter with a Hungarian Horntail a few years ago. Wow has it really been that long since then? "Ok so when am I going?"  
"They'll send you a letter when they get home. Until then you're stuck here. I really have to go. Oh and if he ever tries to beat you up again, let me know so that I can help you. Bye for now Harry!" and she disappeared with a loud pop. Harry walked back downstairs. _At least I won't be stuck here forever._


	2. Cho's Visit

Six days later, Harry was packing his things into his trunk, when Hedwig flew in. She flew over to him and landed on his arm. "Hey girl. Where've you been?" Harry took her to her cage and petted her a few times.

"Hey" Aunt Petunia said from the bottom of the stairs "There's someone here for you."

Harry spun around. _There is someone here, again? Now what?_ Harry walked out into the hallway, wondering who it could be. He walked downstairs and into the living room. To his surprise, Cho Chang as sitting in the Dursley's living room. "Cho!"

She turned to him. "Harry." She looked at Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, who were standing close together at the other end of the room. "Umm Harry can we talk in your room?"

"My room?" Harry said, thinking about what a mess it was. "Oh sure. Come on I'll show you where it is." Harry turned and walked back to his room. He couldn't believe that Cho had come here to see him. Cho, the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, was going up to his room. But Harry did wish it was neater. "Well, this is it." Cho walked into his room. She looked around a bit and went over to pet Hedwig. Harry started to make his room more presentable, when Cho came to him and put her arms around him. "Cho..."

"Harry, I've missed you so much." Harry's heart skipped a beat. "And I just wanted to ask if we could start over, cause I was really stupid last year and I know you didn't deserve it and..."

"Shhh" Harry cut her off. "I get the point."

"Sorry" She put her head on his chest. Harry's heart skipped three beats. "I had to come here and tell you that. It was driving me crazy." She let go of him and sat down on his bed. Harry joined her. "Nice eye."

Harry smiled. He didn't know what to say. He felt like he had to say something. A wierd silence fell over them. Harry was starting to feel uncomfortable. He could feel Cho staring at him. He felt her hand on his shoulder. She pushed him backward, so that he was lying on his back, and started kissing him. Harry's heart almost stopped completely. She stopped and looked down at him. "Wow" was all that Harry could say. She giggled and began kissing him again. Eventually Harry stopped being shy and started kissing her. After a while, Harry heard someone coming. "Cho. Stop. Someone's coming." Aunt Petunia opened the door, and saw Cho on top of Harry on Harry's bed. She gave them an evil look. Cho got up and fixed her hair with her fingers.

"So I guess I'll see you in London Harry." She winked at him and apparated. Aunt Petunia stared at Harry. "What?" he asked. She turned and slammed the door. Harry knew that he would probably be locked in his room for that, but at least it had happened.


	3. Rescued

The next day at breakfast, all of the Dursley's were unusually quiet. Every so often, Dudley would look at Harry and laugh. He realized that his aunt must have told the whole family what she had seen, and apparently Harry was going to be punished for it. When he tried to leave the kitchen, Uncle Vernon stopped him. "Wait boy. Don't you go anywhere yet." Harry stopped, turned around, and sat back down at the table. As if on cue, Aunt Petunia and Dudley immediately left the table and went into the living room. Uncle Vernon stood up and walked to Harry. Harry could tell that he was mad. "Now listen you. It's bad enough that you have to live here. We don't need all of your censored appearing here when ever they feel like it."

Harry's jaw dropped. Now he'd gone to far. "She's not a.."

"This time I'm letting it go, but only because you'll be leaving today and then that weird family will have to deal with you. But I swear if I ever see her here again..."

"Then you'll leave her alone because if you hurt her then I'll hurt you." Uncle Vernon tried to say something back, but he couldn't seem to find the words. Something shattered in the sink. Harry walked out of the kitchen and ran back upstairs to his room.

He needed to calm down. He was making things explode again, and he was already in enough trouble with the ministry. Harry sat in his room for the rest of the day until he heard someone pull into the Dursley's driveway. He jumped up and looked out the window. A small red car was sitting in the driveway. A large group of wizards and witches climbed out. They were all dressed in muggle clothing, but apparently they'd never done it before, because a few of them were wearing shoes on their hands. Harry was amazed that they had all fit in that tiny car. He grabbed Hedwig, her cage, and his trunk and headed for the door. As Harry was walking backward down the stairs, someone grabbed his shoulder, making him jump, and sending Hedwig and her cage flying down into the Dursley's living room. He looked up, and Remus Lupin was holding his shoulder.  
"Let me help you with that." Lupin grabbed Harry's trunk, while Harry ran down the stairs to get Hedwig's cage. Hedwig was perched on the arm of a very tall witch. The Dursley's were crowded in a far corner of the living room. "Alright Harry," Lupin said "Ready to go?"

Harry looked at the Dursley's. "Bye." He walked out the door, followed closely by the group of witches and wizards.  
Once they had all crowded into the car, Lupin looked back at Harry. "To the Burrow." He said to the driver.

They seemed to have been driving forever. Harry suddenly felt tired. It hadn't taken this long before. He leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. When Harry woke up, there wasn't anyone else in the car. They had stopped at a very odd looking building. Harry guessed it must be something for the ministry. Then he noticed a note on the side of his glasses. Harry pulled it off and read:

'Harry, we had to stop for a minute. If you hear anything outside of the car, lie down on the floor and don't look out the window. Harry you must listen to me this time. Whatever you do, don't look out the windows.'

Harry reread the note. Why couldn't he look out the windows? He already had, and nothing had happened. Suddenly, the whole car shook. Something very heavy had jumped onto the trunk. It was right behind him... looking in at him... Harry suddenly felt uncontrollably scared. He had to run. It would get him if he didn't. _Get out of the car!_ But just as he'd put his hand on the handle, he saw the note. _Okay I'm crazy._ He lied down on the floor and looked at the carpet. The thing was climbing on top of the car. Harry wanted to look, but he knew he shouldn't. He heard a sound like nails scratching a chalkboard. The thing was scratching the top of the car. He felt another wave of terror sweep over him. _Run. Get out of the car. Now!_ Harry reached for the door handle, pulled it... and looked up at Remus. "Remus? What..."

"Harry, I told you to stay inside the car." he interrupted "You're lucky we came out and chased them away before you opened this door." Remus walked to the back of the car.

"Wait" Harry climbed out of the car and followed him. "What is them?"

Lupin sighed. "Deamons, Harry. They were deamons. This time there were only two, but if there had been more..." Remus was touching the car. Harry noticed that there were long, deep scratch marks all over the car. "The ministry is going to have my head for this... I knew we shouldn't have stopped here."

"What would they have done to me? If I'd let them into the car."

"Well, you see what they can do to a car. Harry listen to me. The Dark Lord has many species helping him. You must be careful at all times. Those deamons could have sliced you to bits." Remus walked to the front of the car and sat down in his seat. Harry followed.

"I didn't know... so if I don't let them in, then they can't hurt me?"

"Harry... you can't even look at them. If you look at them, and then look away, that's as bad as letting them in. And believe me, once you see them, you'll look away. That's why I wanted you to be on the floor. Just incase they came."

The other members of the group were examining the car. One of them was checking the engine, which looked like it had been through a shredder. "Sorry Remus, this thing isn't going anywhere."

"That's what I thought." He looked up at Harry. "Harry, we're miles away from the Burrow, but we are close to Hermione's house. So I've written to Dumbledore and asked him if you could stay there, until you can get to the burrow. Until he answers you'll be stuck in there with us." He pointed at the odd building. "Alright." Harry followed Lupin up to the building.


	4. Vengeance Deamons

The building looked even weirder from the inside. This is definately a ministry building, Harry thought. The walls were covered in pink and white stripes, and there were a million doors everywhere. "Umm... which one do we go in?" Harry asked Lupin.  
"The one all the way down there." He pointed down a very long hallway. "Come on Harry. Hurry up." Harry had to walk very quickly to keep up with him. Eventually, they reached the door. Remus opened the door and pushed Harry inside. "Stay in here. Don't leave this room." He closed the door and locked it. Harry could hear him running back down the hallway.

Harry turned and saw the oddest room he'd ever seen. It looked like he was inside of a giant basketball. The room was a giant sphere with lines running around it. There were no windows, and it was difficult to see the door. It was completely empty. Harry lied down on the floor and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and...

He must have dozed off, because he woke up on the other side of the room. Harry rolled onto his stomach and looked at the door. _It's open._ Harry was going to get up to investigate, when he felt terribly scared again. It was in the hall. There was a demon... or deamon... whatever... in the hall.

_Close the door!_ He jumped up and ran for the door, but it was stuck open. Suddenly, something touched his shoulder. Harry looked sideways. It was touching him... he saw three, bloody, mutilated fingers. Harry quickly looked away, stared at the door, and didn't move. _Maybe it will go away. Please let it go away._ Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see something on all fours coming straight for him. Another one was coming toward him from the side. _Go away. Please go away. I didn't do anything..._ the second deamon charged and ran into his side, knocking him onto his back. Harry fell backward and looked up at the ugliest thing he'd ever seen in his life. It was even worse than a dementor. It looked like... well it was kind of hard to describe... a mutilated pig under a bloody sheep's coat. A disgusting smell filled his nose. They smelled like something that had been rotting for a while. The two deamons stared down at him. There was one on each side of him. Harry's eyes started to burn. _Don't blink... don't blink... remember the car..._ But he couldn't help it. The last thing he saw was a giant three fingered hand coming straight down on his face...

_Just a little side note: Yes, I spelled it right. They're de-ah-mons, not demons. (I made up my own animal!)_


	5. Hermione

Harry had passed out... or more like beaten until he passed out... during the fight with the deamons. When he woke up, he was lying in a bed, in a purple and green room. He tried to get up, but he couldn't move at all. He closed his eyes again and tried to sleep. A few minutes later, he felt something cold being pressed to his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw Hermione. "Hi."

She smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by a bus. Six times."

She reached behind her and picked up his glasses. "Well after what happened." She put them on his face. "You're lucky that there were only two."

Harry realized that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Two what?"

"Two vengeance deamons. Don't you remember?"

Harry saw the ugly, mutilated face in his head. "Oh, yeah. What's a vengeance deamon?"

"There demons that take revenge on people. They can be sent by anyone who wants to hurt someone else badly. So apparently someone doesn't like you very much."

"There's a surprise." Harry tried to move, but he couldn't because his whole body started to hurt. He tried not to wince, but Hermione had already noticed.

"Don't move. You were scratched so bad that almost every part of you is in some kind of bandage."

"_Every_ part of me?"

"Almost every part. You've got a nasty scratch on the inside of your left leg. It goes all the way down your leg, and is probably a half an inch deep. That's the worst of it. Which reminds me." She took the cold rag off of his head and set it on the bedside table. "Hold on I'll be right back." She walked out of the room and came back with a small box. She set the box on the table and began rooting through it. Eventually, she found what she was searching for. It was a small blue tube.

"What's that?"

"This is what has to go in your cuts. Every day at least once. And since you can't do it, I will." She pulled down the covers on the bed and took the cap off of the tube. "It's supposed to stop an infection." Harry could barely see his left leg. It was completely covered with bandages. "Don't worry we'll do that last." She began taking the bandages off of his face and neck. "This is going to take a while Harry. And it's going to sting. Especially in the deep cuts." Hermione pulled out a white rag and put a little of the blue ointment on it. "Here we go." She said as she started rubbing it into a cut on his forehead. "Looks like one of them hit your eye."

"Yeah the one named Dudley."

Hermione laughed. "Hey, maybe you'll have a second scar up here. Then at least the first one won't be so noticeable." After about an hour, Hermione had finally gotten to Harry's left leg. She got up and left the room. "One minute Harry" She came back with a long towel. "When you have a cut that deep, it tends to bleed when this ointment goes on it." She tucked the towel underneath his leg. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to get." Hermione began to apply the ointment. Harry instantly felt like his leg was on fire. He screamed and tried to jerk it away. Hermione grabbed his leg.

"Harry, believe me, you'll be happy later on when you don't have an infection. Now try to hold still." After fifteen minutes of horrible pain, Hermione put the cap back on the blue tube and put the tube back in the box. Then she pulled out a long roll of bandages and began re wrapping his leg. "It's bleeding a lot." She pulled out another towel and started to suck up the blood that was coming out of his leg. When it was all finished, and his leg had been re wrapped, Hermione carried two blood soaked towels out of the room. "Too bad I can't use magic. It would be so much easier to clean up."

When Harry woke up the next day, he was still in the same room, but there was no sign of Hermione. There was a young wizard sitting on the other side of the room. He looked busy, so Harry didn't bother him. There were so many questions that hadn't been answered. Who sent those deamons? Why did they look like that? Where was he? Where was Hermione? But Harry didn't bother the man with these questions. He was so tired that he just wanted to lie in that bed forever. He closed his eyes and...

When he woke up, there was a small witch standing over him. She had the box and the blue tube with her. The young man wasn't in the room anymore. "Hello Harry" said the witch "I'm a nurse, and I'll be taking care of you until you're better." Harry smiled at her, and she began rubbing in the blue ointment. "Where's Hermione?" Harry asked

"Who? Oh you mean the girl. She had to leave. Which is why I'm here. Now hold still." About an hour later, the nurse picked up her things and left the room. There were guards outside of his door. They moved aside to let the witch out, and then one of them closed the door and locked it. Now Harry was very confused. Why did he need guards? Harry looked up at the green ceiling. What an odd color to paint a room, he thought. He wished there was someone to talk to, someone who would understand, someone who would listen... you killed him remember? Harry thought. If I wouldn't have been 'saving' Sirius, he would have never died. Just then the door opened, and Lupin came in.

"Harry, how are you?" he asked

"I'm fine. But..."

"Harry the next time I tell you to stay somewhere you stay, understand?"

"I did stay. When I looked the door was open..."

"It couldn't have opened all by itself. I locked it. And since no one that I asked opened it..."

"I didn't open it! I fell asleep on the floor, and when I woke up it was open."

Remus sighed "Well at least you can't leave this room, and nothing should be able to come in. There are guards at the door and there's spell protection on the whole building."

"What... where are we?"

"We're in the same building; just a different room. I don't know how Hermione figured out which door you were in. She snuck in when she heard what had happened, and they found her here last night. Of course, we sent her away. Its bad enough you're here; we don't need her in danger too. I have to go Harry. But I think all of your mail will keep you busy." Remus went across the room and came back with a small stack of letters. "Everyone wants to know what happened. Just give your letters to the guards and they'll send it out." He walked to the door and left without even saying good-bye.


	6. Mrs Weasley's Break Out

A few minutes after Remus left, the door opened again, and the nurse came in. She stuck a thermometer in his mouth and left the room. Why does everyone keep running away! Harry thought. The nurse came back and pulled out the thermometer. "That's what I thought. They're making you stay in this filthy place when you're already ill enough." She began examining his scratches. "When was the last time they fed you?"

Harry thought for a minute. "They haven't."

"They haven't! I can't believe this!" She turned and ran out of the room. She came back a few minutes later, looking very angry. "I can't believe they're treating you like this. No wonder you aren't getting any better. They're so concerned that no one attacks you that they've left you to waste away in here."

"Umm... I was wondering... am I sick or something? Cause everyone keeps running away from me and..."

"No it's not that. Well you are sick, apparently, anyone would be after living in here, but that's not the reason." Harry heard a knock at the door. "Oh now what?" The nurse got up and went to the door. The guards handed her something. "More letters." she said, putting them with the others. "Well aren't you going to open those?" Harry sat up and looked at the letters. "You read those and I'll go see if they have anything edible in this place." she said. Harry made sure that she was gone before he reached for the letters. There were five of them all together, counting the ones that had just came. Harry opened the first one. It was from Mrs. Weasley:

'Harry, I hope you're all right. We will come get you out of there as soon as we can.'

The next two were from Ron and Hermione, also wanting to know how he was. The fourth was from Hermione:

'Harry I'm so sorry I had to leave! They caught me and made me go home! Now I'm at Ron's. I hope you're doing all right. You should come to the burrow when you're feeling better. It's really boring without you. Talk to you soon. Hermione.'

Harry set those four on the table. He didn't recognize the return address on the fifth letter. He opened it and saw that it was from Cho. All it said was 'when can I see you again?'. Just then the nurse came back with what looked like food. "Here try to eat this. It isn't the best, but it's all they have around here." Harry tried some of it. The food, if that's what it was, tasted worse than Dudley's diet food. He set the plate on the table. "That's what I thought." said the nurse. "I don't blame you."  
"Is there anything to write with? I want to write back."

"Yes there is. Hold on." She left the room, again, and came back with a notebook, a quill, and some ink.

"Thanks." Harry began writing back to Cho. He explained everything that had happened, and told her that he would let her know when they could be together again. Then he set the notebook down and waited for it to dry. "When do you think they'll let me leave?" he asked the nurse.

"Soon. They don't want you to be here for too long. I think they're having trouble contacting whoever you were supposed to go with." Harry picked up the notebook, tore out Cho's letter, and began writing a letter to the Weasleys, begging them to come get him.

That night, Harry was lying in his bed, staring at the green ceiling, when he heard voices outside of his room. They were arguing about something. Harry ignored them and closed his eyes. He needed to sleep. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and Mrs. Weasley came running in. "We're taking him with us. You cannot make him stay in this filthy place." She looked down and noticed that he was looking at her. "Oh hello Harry. Hope I didn't wake you."

"No I was already awake." Remus and a few others came into the room.

"Molly, you can't take him out there. Not yet. We need to make sure it's safe before..."

"Remus, it's been safe! You're the one that's making it un-safe. Now I'm taking him with me." She pointed her wand at Harry, and floated him to the door. "Boys!" she called. Fred and George came running down the hall. "Get his trunk." She began walking toward the exit, floating Harry in front of her. There was a car waiting outside. Mrs. Weasley took him to the car, and set him gently in the back seat. Then she turned and told Fred and George to hurry up. Harry saw the nurse come running out.  
"Here you forgot this." she handed him the notebook and quill. She winked at him, walked away from the car, and apparated. Mrs. Weasley, Fred, and George pilled into the car. Mrs. Weasley was driving, Fred was in the front seat, and George was in the back seat with Harry.

"Mum, you made us proud in there." said Fred

"Yeah, all those years you told us not to get into anything. And now you want us to help you." George added

"Do you know how to drive one of these?" Fred asked.

"Oh come on it can't be that hard. I got us here, didn't I?" She turned the car on, backed up, and started driving away. Harry leaned back and closed his eyes. Eventually he fell asleep.


	7. The Burrow

When they finally did reach the burrow, it was very late at night. Mrs. Weasley floated Harry inside, while Fred and George got his trunk. She set him down on a couch. "You'll have to be down here for tonight, Harry. Fred and George decided to blow a hole in Ron's wall, so no one is allowed up there until I can fix it." She got him a pillow and blanket, and she was covering him just as Fred crashed Harry's trunk into the wall. "Go up to bed. Both of you." Fred and George went up the stairs. "Well so much for coming in quietly. Do you need anything Harry?"

"No I'll be alright." Mrs. Weasley turned off the light and followed Fred and George. Harry leaned back into the pillow. He was starting to feel sick. Suddenly, there was a loud sound from outside, and the front door opened. Harry opened his eyes. Someone was coming in the door.

"Harry?" she said in a whisper "Harry is that you?"

"Cho! What are you doing here?"

"I heard what happened, so I thought I'd come check on you -"

"At one in the morning!"

"Well if you don't want me here then I'll leave."

"No wait, you can stay, I guess... but you've probably woken up the whole house." Cho came over to him and knelt down beside the couch. She touched his face.

"Oh you feel hot. Are you feeling okay?"

"No actually I'm not." She smiled at him and put her head on his shoulder. Harry was starting to fall asleep when Cho got up suddenly. "Cho..."

She shushed him. "There's someone coming." Harry sighed. Why couldn't they be left alone? Now Harry could hear it too. Someone, two someones, were coming down the stairs.

"Cho you have to go. If they see you then they'll be really angry that you just let yourself in."

"Yeah I know." she went to Harry and kissed him "Bye for now." She smiled and apparated.

"Harry?" Ron said

"Yeah?" Harry replied, trying to sound like he'd just woken up.

"Did you hear someone?" Hermione asked from behind Ron.

"Besides you two coming downstairs, no."

"Oh well we thought we heard someone." Hermione said "How are you?"

"I'm all right. A little feverish but alright." There was an odd silence, and the two of them just stared at him. "What?" They both looked away. "Wait why won't anyone answer me?"

"Harry we should go back upstairs. You need to rest." Hermione said quickly "Come on Ron let's go." she pulled his arm and they went back upstairs. Harry sighed again. Why was everyone running away from him?

Harry didn't go to sleep after Ron and Hermione had left. Why was everyone leaving him? Did they know something he didn't? Then he heard more voices in the upstairs hallway. It was Ron and Hermione, again. Harry closed his eyes, but he could hear them come into the living room and go into the kitchen. They were arguing about something. He tried to hear what they were saying.

"Ron you're being stupid. Harry would never -"

"Well how do we know? He could be some kind of sick maniac who enjoys pain-"

"Ron listen to yourself. Harry would never do that. He could never-"

"My point is that we don't know. How do they know it was really a vengeance deamon? I mean, the only one who can see it is the person that gets attacked. And no one actually saw him being attacked-" Harry stopped listening. So that was it. They thought that he had hurt himself, that there never really was a deamon.

"Calm down you're going to wake up the whole house." Hermione was saying "Well I just found out that my best friend could have tried to kill himself and you think I'm supposed to be ok with that?"

"Ron he couldn't have done that to himself."

"And how do you know? Did you ask?"

"No. I saw the cut on his leg. No one could have made such a clean cut with a knife or something like that. If he had really cut himself, then there would be places where the skin was torn. It would take more than one time to make a cut that deep." They were both quiet. Harry could hear sobbing, which probably meant that Hermione had started crying. "Ron... he wouldn't... I mean... he couldn't..."

"Let's just leave the whole thing alone until morning." Harry heard them come back through the living room and go back upstairs. When he peeked open his eyes to check, he could see Ron's arm around Hermione as they walked upstairs.


	8. Ginny

Harry couldn't sleep. _Why do they think I'd do this to myself? It doesn't make sense. Even if I were going to cut myself up this bad, geeze I would just kill myself and get it over with. _The room was getting brighter; the sun was coming up. He started to feel tired, and tried to sleep. He wasn't asleep long though, because a loud crash came from the kitchen. Harry opened his eyes and saw Ginny sitting in a big chair across the room. "I think she's angry." Ginny said "Fred and George really made her mad when they blew a hole in Ron's room." Harry moaned and tried to roll over, but his left leg wouldn't let him. It started hurting really bad. He winced and threw his head back onto the pillow. "Are you alright?" Ginny asked

"Yeah I'm fine." Harry said

"Are you sure? You don't sound alright."

"Does it look like I'm all right? My two best friends think I'm suicidal and my head feels like its going to explode, but yes, I'm great." Ginny looked down at her hands. They were both silent until Mrs. Weasley came in. She was carrying a plate with toast on it.

"Here Harry. Eat some of this. You need to eat before you take your medicine."

She left the room, and Harry set the plate on the floor. He didn't feel like eating. He just wanted to be alone. Mrs. Weasley came back with a few small bottles and a thermometer. "Come on Harry. You have to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"Well if you want to get better you'd better eat." She picked up the plate and handed it to him. Harry sat up and started eating some of the toast. "There you go." Harry ate two pieces of toast and then he set the plate back on the floor. Mrs. Weasley handed him the thermometer. Harry stuck it in his mouth and waited. When it was done, Mrs. Weasley looked at it and shook her head. "That's what I thought. 101 degrees (Fahrenheit - If you were wondering)." She pointed to the small bottles. "You have to drink every one of those. Better get started." She picked up the plate and went back into the kitchen. Every one of the medicines were extremely nasty tasting.

"Ginny have you ever had to take these medicines before?"

"Yeah."

"How often do I have to take them?"

"As often as mum says to." Ginny answered with a smile.

Harry was starting to feel sick. "I thought medicine was supposed to make you feel better."

"It wouldn't be too bad if she didn't make you take the one for blood clotting. It was the one that tasted like the sardine flavored every flavor beans." Harry lied back down and looked over at Ginny.

"Does everyone really think that I tried to kill myself?" he asked

"Well... yeah."

"Do you think that?"

"No... because I knew you wouldn't hurt yourself like that. But well after what's happened to you... if it happened to me I'd want to hurt myself. But I didn't think you were like that."

"I'm not. I was attacked. I guess you've never seen a vengeance demon." Ginny shook her head. "They're worse than dementors. Much worse."

"I've never actually seen a dementor either. Not what's under that hood, anyway." "Take a basilisk, give it some claws, and slice it up a little. That's what I saw." Ginny shivered.

"Yeah I'd have defiantly killed myself if I'd seen that."

Harry slept most of that day. When he woke up, Ginny was still sitting in the same chair. "You like that chair, don't you?"  
"Well you took my couch." she giggled. The whole house seemed unusually quiet. "Where is everyone?"

"Fred and George went back to the shop this morning, Ron and Hermione are outside, Charlie is up in his room, dad's at work, mum went to Diagon Alley, and I'm sitting here." It took Harry a minute to remember why Charlie was at home. He'd been hurt by a Hungarian Horntail a while ago.

"Is Charlie alright?"

"You're just full of questions aren't you? Yes he's fine." They just sat there for what seemed like forever. Harry was starting to feel uncomfortable. He caught himself looking at Ginny. (winkwink hint hint) She looked at him, and Harry looked down at the floor. Suddenly she jumped out of her chair. "Mummy's home." Harry looked up at the clock and saw that the clock hand for Mrs. Weasley was moving toward 'home'. He could hear her and Ginny talking. Ginny came back into the living room. "She wants to know if you want to eat dinner."

Harry smiled "Sure." Mrs. Weasley followed Ginny.

"Are you feeling better dear?" she asked

"Yeah."

"Good, good." Mrs. Weasley went back to the kitchen, and Ginny followed. Harry leaned against the back of the couch. Soon he could smell what they were cooking, and it was making him hungry. Then he heard an odd noise coming down the stairs. Charlie was coming downstairs on what looked like magical crutches.

"Hello Harry."

"Hey." Harry noticed Charlie's leg. It was bandaged more than his was. "What happened?"

"Well to make the story short, the dragon grabbed my leg with his mouth."

"Ouch." Harry said. "And I thought my leg was painful."

"It should be after what happened." He started to hobble towards the kitchen. "Oh and Harry, don't believe what Ron keeps saying. We all know you couldn't have done that to yourself." Finally someone who believes me, Harry thought.

After dinner, Harry was still on the couch. Ron was teaching Hermione how to play chess, Ginny was reading, and Charlie was sitting at the other end of Harry's couch. Hermione beat Ron for the first time. As she was doing her victory dance ("Ha ha I beat you!"), she noticed that Harry was watching her. She finished her dance and sat back down to play again, looking slightly embarrassed. As Ron was setting up his pieces, Hermione stood up and whispered something to him. "Yeah yeah we will Hermione. Now move." Ron answered. Harry swung his legs around, so that he was sitting with his feet on the ground. Everyone looked up at him.

"Did you want me to stay in one position all day?" They went back to what they were doing. Harry really wanted to get up and walk around, but he didn't know if he could. _Well, it's worth a try. Here it goes_, he thought, and he stood up. There wasn't any pain. Even when he started walking around. Ginny jumped up and came to his side. "No, it's alright. I'm fine." He walked off across the room. Ginny went back to her chair.

"Harry be careful. Your leg hasn't healed all the way. You could tear open the cut." Hermione said. Harry ignored her and walked over to Ginny's chair. He sat on the arm and watched Hermione beat Ron again.


	9. Sweet 16

After everyone else had gone to bed, Ginny was still sitting in her chair. "Do you ever sleep?" Harry asked  
She laughed "Yeah. I was going to sleep down here tonight, but since you took my couch-"

"You can have it."

"No, then you won't have anywhere to sleep. I'll just sleep on the floor." she ran upstairs and brought back a pillow and a blanket. "I just can't sleep with Ron and Hermione right across the hall. They're either giggling or arguing or -"

"Giggling?"

"Yeah. Oh you don't know. They've been together for a while, if you know what I mean. But don't tell mum, she doesn't know, and Ron would kill me if she found out." She set up her 'bed' next to the couch. "Well, night." She crawled under her covers. She went right to sleep, but Harry wasn't tired anymore. _Ron and Hermione... a couple? Yeah that's going to last long. They'll argue each other to death._ Harry looked down at Ginny. He noticed how pretty she looked when the moonlight was shining on her. _Wow this is a weird night._ He rolled over and fell asleep.

The next morning, Harry was woken up when he heard several loud noises coming from upstairs. He opened his eyes and looked over at the chair, hoping to see Ginny there, but she wasn't there. He stared at the chair until he heard someone coming. Ron came running downstairs. He ran into the kitchen and came running back with a bag in his hand. "Morning Harry" he said as he went running back upstairs. Harry put on his glasses and walked to the stairs. Just as he was going to start walking up, Ginny came running downstairs.

"Nope can't go up there."

"Why not?"

"You'll see in a minute." She ran past him and into the kitchen. Harry followed her. "Nope can't go in there either." she said as she came back out.

"Why? What's going on?"

"You'll see. Sit down we'll be done in a minute." Harry sat back down on the couch and watched Ginny run upstairs with another bag. What was going on, and why couldn't he know about it? Someone else was coming downstairs. This time it was Hermione. Instead of going into the kitchen, she sat down on the other end of the couch.

"Would you mind telling me what's going on?" he asked

She laughed. "I can't tell you yet!"

"Why not!"

"Don't you know what day it is?" There was a loud crash. "Oh no, I better go see what that was." she got up and went back upstairs. _What does the day have to do with any of this?_ he thought. Then he realized that he didn't know what day it was. It has to be some day in July, because I left the Dursley's in June, and it's been a while since then.

Mrs. Weasley came into the living room. "Oh Harry come in here please. You need to take your medicine." Harry got up and went into the kitchen. There was nothing abnormal in there, so why couldn't he have gone in there before? Harry sat down at the table. Mrs. Weasley sat his breakfast in front of him, and he started eating. "Take those when you're done." she said, pointing to the bottles. He ate a little bit, and took the medicine. There was suddenly a lot of noise coming from the living room. "Now what?" Mrs. Weasley said as she went to investigate. Harry decided not to follow her. Apparently they didn't want him to see whatever they were doing. He looked around for a calendar, to find out what day it was, but he couldn't see one. Harry poked at the rest of his breakfast until Ginny and Hermione came in.

"Well come on! Don't you want to see what's going on?" Ginny asked. Harry followed them into the living room and up the stairs. They stopped in front of a door. Ginny opened up the door, and Hermione pushed him in. Harry lost his balance and fell. It was completely dark in this room. Suddenly the lights came on, and Harry looked up at all of the Weasleys and a big sign that said 'Happy Birthday Harry!'.


	10. Cho's Third Visit

It had to have been the best birthday Harry had ever had. He had gotten brand new quidditch gear from Bill and Charlie, a weird looking book from Percy, a box full of free stuff from Weasleys Wizard Weazes, and a bunch of candy from Ron and Hermione. But the best present out of all of them was what the whole family had gotten him. They'd made him his own room out of Bill's old room, and they filled it with all kinds of magical things.

After everyone was done celebrating, and they had started going to bed, Harry went downstairs to get the rest of his things and take them upstairs. He looked at Ginny's chair and wondered where she had gone. He hadn't seen her since she and Hermione had taken him upstairs. As he bend over to get his blanket, he felt someone touch his back. It scared him and he twirled around to see who it was. The person grabbed him around the waist. Harry could tell it was a girl, but he couldn't tell exactly who it was (its almost completely dark, sorry forgot to mention that). For a second he thought it was Ginny, until he saw her face. It was Cho.

"Why do you keep sneaking in here?" he whispered

"I just wanted to tell you happy birthday."

"Thanks but you don't have to sneak in. You could have just come before. The Weasleys wouldn't have minded."

"I don't think they'd like me very much."

"Yes th-" Cho put her hand over his mouth. She looked scared. Then -

"Lumnos!" Fred screamed. Fred, George, and Ron had been watching them the whole time.

"I knew it!" Ron said "I heard you down here before. I thought it might have been you and Ginny, but I would have never thought you'd be sneaking her in here." Cho looked hurt by what he said. She turned and ran out the front door. Harry followed her, but by the time he had gotten outside, she had apparated. Harry came back inside. He picked up his things and ran upstairs to his new room. He slammed the door, locked it, and fell onto his bed. It had been the perfect birthday... if only she could have stayed...

It was the last week of August, and Harry was lying on his bed. He hadn't talked to Ron since the incident with Cho. _Why should I talk to him?_ Harry thought. _First he thinks I'm suicidal and now he can't accept my girlfriend._ Harry turned on his side and looked out the window. He heard someone opening the door. It was Ginny. "Hey." she said as she sat down on the end of his bed. "Is everything okay? I mean you and Ron haven't been talking much and -"

"I really don't want to talk about that." Harry interrupted

"Oh. Sorry." After a long pause, she said. "Do you want to go play quidditch?"

"Not if Ron's playing."

She sighed. "Why do you two have to fight like this? You're being so stupid -"

"I'm not the one who's being stupid! He thinks that I'm trying to kill myself and that I've been sneaking girls here."

"He doesn't... wait, you've been sneaking girls in here?"

"No I haven't! She snuck herself in."

Ginny smiled. "Oh I see."

"Ginny I'm not asking her to come."

"Yeah sure you aren't. So... Who is it?" Harry sighed. "Is it that Cho girl? The one you were kissing last year?" Harry didn't answer. "It is! Harry's got a girlfriend, Harry's got a girlfriend."

"Ginny is annoying!"

"Sorry. Well you should come outside, even if Ron's playing. Those are stupid reasons to fight."

"Alright fine." Harry stood up and got his broom.

Ginny walked out of the room and looked back at him. "Harry's got a -" Harry ran after her. He caught her about halfway down the stairs, grabbed her shirt, and pulled her backward.

"Not a word of that to anyone. She doesn't come anymore."

"Fine." she said, pushing him backward. Harry fell onto the stairs, and looked up at Ginny, who was sticking her tongue out and running down the stairs.


	11. Magical People

When Harry came downstairs, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the kitchen table. Ron had his broom. He looked up at Harry, and then quickly looked away. Ginny came into the room. "So are we going to play or not."  
"Yeah sure." Ron said. They all walked outside, and Harry, Ron and Ginny went into the air, while Hermione watched from the ground. Ron touched Harry's shoulder. "Umm... can we talk? Before we start playing." Harry nodded and they flew back to the ground. They walked around the house. "Harry I... well I just wanted to say that... well I... I guess I shouldn't have been accusing you of all that and I..."  
"I get it. It's alright." Harry said  
"Really? I mean you're not mad?"  
"Maybe a little. Now let's play." Harry flew back up to Ginny.  
"What was that about?" Ginny asked  
"Nothing. So how are we going to do this?" Ron flew up next to them.  
"Well we could train Ron. Like we be the chasers and he can be the keeper."  
"Sounds good to me," said Ron. He flew to the other side of the yard and Ginny went to get the quaffle. After about an hour and a half of playing, they all flew back to the ground and went inside. Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen, carrying a few large bags.  
"You all got your letters this morning, and since you were all sleeping I decided to go to Diagon Alley and get your things. Here you go Ron." she handed Ron one of the bags. "And Ginny." she handed Ginny a bag, and then she handed one to Harry and Hermione. Harry looked inside his bag. There wasn't much in it, except for a new book and some other things.  
"Thanks." Harry said.  
"It's not a problem dear. Now you three go get cleaned up. We can't go to Diagon Alley for lunch if you look like that." Ron and Ginny ran upstairs, but Harry didn't move.  
"Umm... is it okay if I don't go?"  
"Well... if you really don't want to go then I guess it would be okay if you stay... Arthur and Charlie are here."  
"Thanks." Harry turned and followed Ron and Ginny upstairs. He went into his room and fell backward onto his bed. It wasn't that he didn't want to go with them, but Harry really didn't want to be thrown back into the magical world so quickly. He knew he was being stupid, but for some reason, he just didn't want to go.  
"Harry? Come on they're leaving." Ron said.  
"I'm not going."  
"What? Why not?"  
"I don't want to go."  
Ron was now standing next to Harry's bed. "Why don't you want to go?"  
Harry shook his head "Because I don't want to go to Diagon Alley right now Ron." Harry said slowly. Ron turned and left. Harry rolled over and buried his head in the blankets. A few minutes later, he felt someone running their fingers through his hair. (Foreshadowing) "What?" he said into the bed.  
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked,  
"Yes I'm fine."  
"Then why don't you want to come with us?" Harry picked his head up and looked over at Ginny.  
"Because I don't want to be around magical people right now, okay?"  
"I'm a magical person. You're a magical person. It's too late Harry we're already surrounding you."  
Harry sighed. "That's not what I meant."  
"I know. I should get going, before they all leave without me. Sure you don't want to come?"  
"Yeah I'm sure." Harry watched her as she got up and left the room.


	12. Room Service!

Harry was still lying there when he heard them come home. He heard Ron and Hermione run up to Ron's room. He could hear a bunch of loud noises coming from above him. _They are making a lot of noise up there_, Harry thought. He looked up at the ceiling. _What are they doing? _He really wanted to go up and look, but then decided that they probably didn't want him there. Then he heard a loud smash. _What the... _Harry got up and went to the hallway. Ginny was standing on the stairs. She looked up and laughed. Then she ran past him and headed upstairs. "Come on!" she said,  
"Wait... Ginny we shouldn't be-" Harry said as he walked up behind her.  
"Yeah whatever. Shhh they'll hear us." she pressed her ear against the door, and then waved for Harry to come closer. She laughed. "Watch this." she laughed again. "But when I say to run, you better run. Ron isn't gonna be to happy with either of us."  
"Wait Ginny-"  
Ginny knocked on the door loudly. "Room service!" she screamed. Harry heard someone coming to the door. "Run!" Harry and Ginny ran as fast as they could down the stairs and into Harry's room. "Quick lock the door." He locked the door and turned around to look at Ginny.  
"That was so mean." Harry said with a smile  
"Yeah well they'll get over it. Fred and George showed me that one." Harry heard Ron coming downstairs. He stopped in front of Harry's door, and then kept going back downstairs.  
"Where's he going?" Harry said  
"Oh he's going to tell mum, and then she'll come up and yell at me and say that it's a shame that I'm so much like Fred and George and yada yada yada. Believe me I've heard it all summer."  
"You are a lot like them."  
"Well do you expect me to turn into Percy!"  
Harry laughed "No please it's bad enough we have one." Ginny started laughing and then suddenly stopped. Someone was coming upstairs.  
"Alohomora!" Mrs. Weasley screamed, and then the door flew open and she and Ron walked in. "Ginny Weasley how many times this summer do I have to tell you not to bother your brother." Ginny started to talk, but Ron cut her off.  
"Harry! What the... geeze I expected her but not you too." he sighed and ran upstairs.  
"Wait Ron..." Harry followed him "Wait. Please... let me explain... Ron!" Ron slammed the door in Harry's face. Oh great now what? Harry thought. "Ron?"  
"Go away Harry." Hermione said  
"But I-"  
"Go! Now!" Harry felt like they had both just slapped him. He stopped trying and went back downstairs and into his room. Ginny was sitting on his bed.  
"Harry I'm really sorry. I should have never dragged you into that."  
"Ginny... please just go away for a bit."  
"But Harry really I didn't mean to-"  
"Ginny, please I need to be alone okay?" Ginny left the room and slammed the door. Harry fell onto his bed. Wow could this summer get any better? he thought. First I get beat up be Dudley and then I get attacked by deamons and now my two best friends hate me. Wow I'm really batting a thousand aren't I?

That night at dinner no one talked very much. When Hermione and Ron got up and went upstairs, Harry followed them. He knocked on their door quietly. "What!" Ron screamed.  
"Can I come in?" Harry asked  
"No." Ron said, but Hermione opened the door.  
"Yes you can. We need to sort this out. All of this fighting is pointless."  
"We never run up and bother him!"  
"Ron will you be quiet for a minute." Hermione said. "We are going to sit here and talk about this peacefully." No one talked. "Okay... well Harry why don't you tell us your version of what happened."  
Harry explained to them what had happened. "So I really didn't do anything." he said.  
"Then why'd you run away?" Ron asked  
"Oh Ron please don't start-" Hermione said  
"No really, if he didn't do anything then why'd he run away? Oh well unless he really did do something and he just isn't admitting it."  
"Do you know that I'm sitting here!" Harry said "You know what, I've had it with you. Both of you. I never did anything and you blame me for everything. Your just like... just like everyone else! I thought I could talk to you when there was something wrong, but apparently you don't want me to talk to you anymore. So you know what Ron? You and your censored can just stay away from me and never talk to me again! Because I'm never talking to you again!" Harry turned and ran out of Ron's room and back into his. He locked the door and threw himself onto his bed. He could hear Hermione crying above him, but right now, he didn't care. He actually liked the thought that he had caused them pain. _They have been causing me pain all summer, so it's about time they got a taste of their own medicine._ Harry rolled over and covered his head with a pillow.


	13. Talking

The next day at breakfast, no one was talking. Ron and Hermione left the table as soon as Harry came into the kitchen. Harry sat down at the table, but he couldn't eat, not after what had happened the night before. Now he really wanted to talk to Ron and Hermione, but they wouldn't even stay in the same room anymore. He left the kitchen before he had even taken a bite of everything. He went back up into his room and closed the door. Harry heard a loud 'meow' from behind him. Crookshanks jumped onto his bed. "What are you doing in here?" Harry said as he went to get the cat. "Hermione will probably kill me if she sees you in here." He tried to pick Crookshankes up, but he hissed, swiped a paw at Harry, and ran under Harry's bed. Harry gave up and fell onto his bed. He closed his eyes and felt something nuzzling his arm. He looked over at Crookshanks, who was now on his bed. "Fine. But if she kills me it's your fault." _Geeze I'm talking to a cat_, Harry thought. He closed his eyes again.  
A few minutes later, the door opened. "Crookshanks there you are." Hermione said. Harry heard her sneak over to his bed and pick up the cat. She started to walk away. Now was his only chance.  
"Hermione?" Harry said. She stopped, but didn't say anything. "Can we talk?" he asked  
"I thought you weren't talking to me because I'm a - "  
"I didn't mean to call you that. I was just so mad at Ron that it just came out too fast."  
"But do you really feel that way?" she turned around and faced him.  
"No. Ron was being a jerk and I spit everything out so fast that I didn't really know what I was saying."  
"Really?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Well he was being a jerk, but still I never thought you'd start saying things like that."  
"Sorry." Harry said. Hermione didn't respond. "Well I guess you can go back to not caring about me anymore. Not that it really matters that much."  
"What do you mean not caring about you?"  
Harry thought for a minute. "I don't know..." He sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands.  
"Harry? Is everything okay?"  
"Yeah it's great. It's always been great. In fact, the only thing that could make this summer any better would be if I were to just die right now. Maybe then I would be happy for one time in the last three years." Hermione let Crookshanks go and sat down next to him.  
"You haven't been happy?" Harry didn't answer her. "Harry? Well if you didn't want to talk then why'd you make me stop?" she got up and started to leave.  
"Wait Hermione I -" but she was already gone. Harry fell backward onto his bed, rolled over and buried his head in the blankets. _Wow Harry could you screw up your life any more?_ he thought. He felt his eyes beginning to water. _It's like no one cares anymore,_ he thought. _Like no one wants me around. _Harry could hear someone coming upstairs. They stopped in front of his open door and started to walk in.  
"Harry?" Ginny asked. She touched his shoulder. "Are you awake?"  
"Go away Ginny." Harry said  
"I only want to tell you something. I really am sorry that I got you into trouble with Ron and Hermione and if you never talk to me again then I'll understand." she waited for a minute, and then turned and left his room, closing the door behind her. Harry felt like he should have said something, but he really didn't have anything to say.

Harry stayed in his room the whole day. Around five o'clock, he heard someone knocking at his door. "Come in." he said, and Charlie walked in.  
"Mum sent me up here to make sure you were still alive."  
"Well apparently I am." Harry snapped  
"Woah, what's wrong with you?"  
"Everything."  
"Is something going on between you and Ron and Hermione? I noticed you weren't talking anymore."  
"Yeah I screwed up our friendship ten times over. And now they won't talk to me, partly because I told them not to." Harry explained  
"Why don't you want them to talk to you?" Charlie asked  
"Ron was being a jerk, and I went off at him, and said some things that weren't very nice."  
"Well he's a jerk a lot. What was he saying about you?"  
"That I cut myself and I sneak girls in and I'm screwing up his life and bla bla bla bla bla..."  
Charlie laughed. "You sneak girls in?"  
Harry laughed "No I don't! Well... she snuck herself in..."  
"Wooo Harry..."  
"Shut up. I didn't ask her to come."  
"Sorry. And he thinks you cut yourself. Wow he really is going mad."  
"Tell me about it." Harry said  
"You couldn't have cut yourself like that. It's physically impossible. Believe me I've been cut by large claws before, and those were all large claw cuts. By the way, how is your leg?"  
"It's fine; almost completely healed. How's yours?"  
"Oh it's okay. I'm walking on it. But this isn't about me. He thinks you screwed up his life? Well I hate to say it but he's screwing up his own life."  
"It's just that... I've really wanted to talk to them... and they aren't even staying in the same room anymore." Harry explained  
"Is everything okay? I mean if you really need to talk with someone..."  
"No I'll be okay. At least as okay as I'm ever going to get."  
"Alright. Well I'll talk to Ron, but I don't think it will do much good."  
Harry smiled "Thanks."   
"No problem." Charlie left the room and closed the door behind him. Harry sat up in his bed and looked down at his hands. He really wanted to talk with someone, anyone, even Ginny. _You either chased them all away or killed them remember? _Harry thought. Then Harry realized something. He hadn't thought about Sirius much the whole summer. The thought of it made him feel horrible. His godfather had died and he only thought about it occasionally? He fell back and looked up at the ceiling. Harry could see Sirius's face again, and then it faded away. He felt tears falling down his face. He really wanted to talk to, or at least see, Sirius again. But it's too late; he's already dead. Harry heard someone knocking. The door opened and Ginny walked in.  
"Harry... can we talk?"  
"Sure."  
"Are you mad at me for getting you into trouble? Because I really don't want you to be mad at me." Harry noticed that she was crying. "Ron and Hermione hate me, all of my past boyfriends think I'm horrible, and I just don't want you to be mad at me too." Harry sat up and hugged her. She fell into his arms and began crying uncontrollably. Then she fell onto his bed, and Harry lied beside her. She looked at his face. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah."  
"You look like you've been crying."  
"Yeah well -" Ginny moved closer to him and curled up in his arms.  
"Why can't all boys be like you?" Ginny asked. Harry didn't answer her, and eventually she fell asleep.


	14. Hogwarts

Two weeks later, Harry was sitting on the train to Hogwarts. He had never made up with Ron and Hermione, so he was sitting all alone. He really didn't want to go back to school, because that would mean that he would probably get himself into some big mess, and someone else would die... Someone was standing next to him. He looked up at Cho. "Do you mind if I sit here?"  
Harry smiled "Go ahead." she sat down beside him.  
"Is everything okay with your friend? He looked really upset when he saw me."  
"Yeah." Harry explained everything that had happened between him and Ron.   
"I'm sorry. I was so worried when I heard that you were attacked by those things, and I had to see if you were alright." Harry nodded, but then he thought of something. How had she known that he had been attacked? It wasn't exactly in the paper... was it?  
"Cho? How did you know that I was attacked?"  
"My dad's in the Order."  
Harry's jaw dropped. "What?"  
"My dad is in the Order of the Phoenix. Don't you know what that is?"  
"Yeah but... your dad's in the Order?"  
"Yes that's what I said. He's a new member. They talk about you a lot, and he likes to talk about his work at home, so if I get him talking I can learn anything." Harry nodded again. If she knew about the Order, then maybe she knew about Sirius. Harry had really wanted to talk about that.  
"Do you know about Sirius Black?"  
"What about him?"  
"About what happened last year."  
She nodded. "Yes I do. And I know that he was very special to you." She moved closer to him and hugged him. "You must miss him a lot."  
"Yeah. It was kind of my fault that he died."  
"No it wasn't."  
"Yes it was. If I wouldn't have gone to the ministry, then he wouldn't have come with the Order to save me, and he would have never died." Cho looked up at him.  
"Harry we all make stupid mistakes. But you weren't the one holding the wand. You didn't hurt him at all." Harry put his arms around her and held her tight. He felt a lot better knowing that he could talk to Cho. They sat there for the longest time, holding each other as if they'd die if they let go. Then Ginny came in.  
"Do you mind if we sit here?" Neville and Luna were standing behind her. "Ron and Hermione are in the only other open compartment, and they aren't very friendly right now."  
Harry and Cho nodded. "What are they doing now?" Harry asked  
"Well Ron's still being an egotistical stupid git, and Hermione is trying to make him make up with you, so you can imagine the arguing." Harry felt a little better. At least Hermione was on his side. The three of them sat down. They were all silent. Luna was reading an edition of the Quibbler, Ginny was reading a book, Neville was looking out the window, and Harry and Cho were still holding each other. Harry watched Neville. He remembered what Dumbledore had said about the Prophecy. He wondered if Neville knew, or if he was ever going to be told. He'd probably freak out, Harry thought. Neville, knowing that he might have to fight Voldemort... he was scared to death of Snape...  
"Harry?" Ginny asked. "Do you want to play chess?"  
"Sure." Harry let go of Cho. "Do you know how to play?"  
"Ron tried to teach me, but you know he gets mad at me a lot, so I didn't learn much. But I'm pretty good." She pulled a chess board and pieces out of her trunk. Harry could tell that she wasn't very good; he beat her in three moves. He agreed to a rematch, and beat her again. Ginny gave up and Cho stepped in, but Harry beat her too.  
"Oh move over!" Luna said. "One of us has to beat him!" But Harry beat her too. The three girls tried to get Neville to play, even though he kept saying that he wasn't any good. Eventually he agreed to try to beat Harry. The game had just begun, when Neville took Harry's king and won.  
"Wait how did you -"  
"Ha ha he beat you Harry!" Ginny said.  
"No we're playing again!" They played again, and again Neville beat him. "Wait, how are you doing that? I thought you weren't any good!"  
"Apparently he lied!" Luna said.  
"Wait one more time." Harry said, but Neville beat him again. The girls were cheering for Neville, who had turned bright red. "Alright you win."  
Cho came over to Harry and hugged him. "Don't worry. We'll find something that you're good at... someday..." she giggled.  
"Shut up." Harry said as he pushed her away.  
"Sorry honey."  
"Woo! Honey? So that's who it was!" said Ginny. Harry threw a chess piece at her. The girls giggled and started to talk about girlish things. They had just gotten to why boys are so difficult when the train stopped. "We'll continue this later." Ginny said to Cho on their way out. Luna, Neville, and Harry followed. Harry passed Ron and Hermione on his way to a carriage, but he didn't even look in their direction. He felt someone grab his arm.  
"Come on!" said Cho. She pulled him into a carriage that already had Ginny in it.  
"So where were we?" Ginny said, but she stopped because Hermione had climbed into their carriage.  
"Hermione what are you doing?" Ron asked. "Get out of there before -"  
"No Ron I'm not going to let you boss me around anymore. I would like to be friends with Harry again and if you don't, then you can find a new girlfriend." She closed the carriage door in his face.  
Harry looked out the window at Ron. He looked like he was just abandoned by his last friend. Harry reached around Cho and opened the door.  
"Get in here." he said to Ron.  
"What?"  
"You heard me. Get in here before we leave you here." Ron climbed in and sat between Ginny and Hermione. Cho and Ginny went back to their conversation, but no one else talked. Harry hoped that he and Ron could make up, because he didn't want to be mad at his best friend, especially if they were going to be on the same quidditch team together.


	15. The Feast

Harry followed the rest of the group into the castle. They all shuffled into the great hall, and Harry sat down between Ginny and Ron. He looked over at the Ravenclaw table, and noticed that Cho had positioned herself so that she was looking in his direction. She smiled and waved, and he smiled back. By now the first years were making there way to the sorting hat. There seemed to be a lot more of them this year, and they all looked scared. Harry watched the first few get sorted, and then his mind began to wonder. He glanced around the great hall.  
"Sometime this month please." Ron said. Harry nodded and looked at the staff table. There were two open seats, one was Professor McGonagall's, and the other was for the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. _Apparently they haven't hired anyone yet_, Harry thought. _After what happened to the last five, it's amazing that anyone would want the job._ Ginny nudged him.  
"We have to move down. There's not enough room for the first years." she said. The whole table moved down, and there still wasn't enough room. "Guess they'll be sitting on the floor then." Ginny said.  
"Why are there so many of them?" Harry thought out loud. Hermione shrugged. "By the time they're done it'll be November." Eventually the last few were sorted, and Albus Dumbledore stood up.  
"Welcome back everyone. It appears that the tables need to be a bit longer." He said a few words and all of the tables stretched out. "That's a lot better. Now let the feast begin." The food appeared on the tables, and everyone began eating.  
"Who do you think the new Defense Against the Dark Arts prof is?" Harry asked.  
"Dunno." Ron said  
"As long as it isn't Umbridge." Hermione said  
"Maybe it's Snape." Ginny said. "He's wanted that job for a long time, so maybe he finally got it."  
"Then who's going to teach potions?" Harry asked  
"I dunno. It's possible though."  
"You should teach it Harry." Neville said.  
"What?"  
"I learned more from you last year then I've ever learned. If it weren't for you I'd have never passed my OWLS." Harry smiled and looked back down at his food.  
"Oh I wanted to ask you. How did you do on your OWLS, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
"Alright. I didn't exactly pass with flying colors though."  
"You passed the Defense Against the Dark Arts test with one of the top scores. I think it was the top score actually." Ginny said.  
"How do you know that?" Harry asked.  
"It said that on the letter."  
"You read it? Without asking me?"  
Ginny looked down. "Well, yeah, but you weren't talking to me and I was curious and -"  
"It's okay. I didn't even see that part."  
"Wait a minute." Ron said. "You mean someone other than Hermione got a top score?" Hermione kicked him. "Ow! That hurt." Hermione smiled. Something came flying in front of Harry's face and landed between him and Ginny. It looked like a paper airplane. He picked it up.  
"Open it!" Ginny said. "It's air mail." she giggled, and Harry opened his letter. It was from Cho. He looked over at her. 'Read it.' she mouthed. Harry looked back down and read it:

'Hey Harry! How's it going over there? We're so far apart. I wish the tables were closer. Anyway, I wanted to know if you're going to do the DA again this year. I know a few people who might be interested. Please write back! Just fold it up again and say to Cho and it will go.'

"Are you?" Ginny asked.  
"Am I what?"  
"Are you going to do the DA this year?"  
Harry thought for a minute. "I don't know. I'd have to talk with Dumbledore." He wrote the same thing in Cho's letter and sent it back. She nodded and put the letter in her purse before anyone else saw it. Everyone was starting to finish eating by now.  
"Harry? Are you going to play quidditch this year?" Ron asked.  
"Yeah I guess so."  
"Good. I was afraid they were going to make me captain this year, since I won the cup last year."  
"Don't you want to be the captain?"  
"Not really. I'm not all that great and it would just be way to much work."  
"Heaven forbid you actually work." Hermione said. Ron kicked her. A few minutes later, they were walking upstairs with the other Gryffindors. One of the new prefects pushed through and said the password. It took forever for all of them to get into the common room. Harry eventually made it to his dormitory, and he fell on his bed and went to sleep.


	16. Arythmancy

The next day, Harry woke up early so he decided to go down into the common room until Ron and Hermione woke up. He was glad that he and Ron weren't fighting anymore. Ron was one of the only real friends that he had. Harry sat down in a chair and looked at the fire. He could remember Sirius's face in that fire... _why'd he have to die? Him of all people! He never did anything to deserve that. If he was here everything would be easier_, Harry thought. He stared at the fire, the memory of what happened in the ministry was playing over and over again in his head...  
"Harry?" Ginny said from behind him. Harry jumped and looked behind him. "Oops, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." She sat down in the chair next to him and looked at the fire. "What you looking at?"  
"The fire."  
"Oh... Why are you up so early?" Harry shrugged.  
"Guess I couldn't sleep."  
"Guess?" Ginny said. She turned around and looked at the stairs that led up to the dormitories. "Uh oh. Lover 1 and lover 2 at twelve o'clock. I should get going before Ron finds another reason to yell at me." She got up and ran past Ron and Hermione and to her dormitory.   
"Geeze she's jumpy." Hermione said. The two of them sat in the same chair Ginny had been in. Harry just kept staring at the fire. Now he was thinking about what could have been if Sirius wouldn't have died... maybe the Order could have let him stay at Grimmauld Place all summer, instead of being dragged to a weird place where he got attacked by demons. Why had Lupin made him stay there? And where the heck had he been since then? _Well, you could ask him_, he told himself. _Good idea_. Harry got up and went toward the portrait hole.  
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.  
"Gotta write a letter." Harry said as he was stepping out into the hallway. The halls were completely empty; not many people were up yet, especially on the first day of classes. He walked as quickly as he could to the owlery and found Hedwig. "Come here. I've got a letter for you to take." Hedwig flew onto his shoulder, and Harry set her on the window seal while he wrote a quick letter to Remus. He tied it to her leg. "Hurry back." he said as she flew away. Then he turned and walked back to the common room. Now there were a lot of students in the hallways, most of them walking toward the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry had to push over a few first years to get back into the common room. He grabbed his books and followed Ron and Hermione to breakfast.  
"You know what?" Ron said as he was looking at their schedule. "You think they'd give us a break. We have a double period with Snape for our first class. Then Trelawney. (sp?) Geeze it's like they want us to have the worst first day ever."  
"Well I have Arythmancy second." Hermione said. "I'm so glad I dropped out of that class."  
"I think I might drop out of it too." Harry said. "I'd rather have Snape for the whole day than have to sit through one class of her predicting how I'm going to die."  
"You're going to talk to Dumbledore about the DA anyway, so why don't you just drop out then? You can take Arythmancy with me." Hermione said  
"I wouldn't take Arythmancy, but I will get out of that class. Maybe I could ask McGonnagal. I have to take with her about quidditch."  
"What's to talk about?" Ron asked. "Umbridge is gone so you're on the team. Too bad Fred and George graduated though. Our new beaters suck."  
"Yeah but I should still talk with her. We have her before dinner, so I'll do it after class." The bell rang and all of the Gryffindor and Slytherin 6th years headed for the donjon. (sp? - lol I can't spell anything.) Harry and Ron stood against the wall, and Harry looked over at Malfoy. "He hasn't said anything to me yet." Harry thought out loud.  
"Who?" Ron asked,  
"Malfoy. He hasn't said one thing to me yet."  
"He's probably just waiting for a good chance to really tick you off." The door opened and the students filed into Snape's classroom. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took the same table they always had. "Where's Snape?" Ron asked. "You don't think he really did get the DADA job?"  
"He didn't because whoever would have ended up teaching this class wouldn't want to be in a donjon." Hermione said. Snape's office door opened and he stepped into the classroom. "See." Hermione said.  
"Yeah yeah enough." Ron said. Snape started talking about some kind of potion that did something, but Harry wasn't really listening._ Maybe I can drop out of this class too_, Harry thought. Eventually, after two very long periods, the students got up and walked to their next class.  
"He didn't say anything either." Harry pointed out. Ron shrugged and kissed Hermione as she went into the Arythmancy classroom. Harry turned and walked toward Dumbledore's office.  
"Where are you going?" Ron asked  
"I said I wasn't going to sit through that class, and I'm not going to."  
"Well then I'm getting out of it too." They walked up to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, which was guarded by a statue.  
"Sherbet lemon." Harry tried, but it didn't move. "Fizzing whisbees? Bumblebee?"  
"Move out of our way." Ron said  
"Socks?" Harry tried again, and the statue moved.  
"Socks?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged and they went up the stairs. Harry knocked on the office door.  
"Come in Mr. Potter." they heard from inside.   
"How's he know it was you?" Ron asked.  
"Dunno." Harry pushed open the door and walked in.  
"I thought you would want to get out of Professor Trelawney's class, and I understand why. Do you want to get out of it too, Mr. Weasley?" Ron nodded. "Which classes would you like to take in place of it?"  
"Arythmancy." Ron said. Harry laughed. "What? I actually might be interested in it."  
"Yeah sure." Harry said.  
"Very well." Dumbledore said. He handed Ron a note. "Go there now and take this to the professor."  
"That's it?" Ron asked.  
"Yes that's it. For other classes I wouldn't let students change so easily, but in this case you can defiantly change." Ron turned and left. "Will you be going to Arythmancy too, Harry?"  
"Umm... no, but I don't know where else I could go."  
"Well there is Arythmancy... and Muggle Studies... or you could go to the study period in the library. You'd be with the 5th and 4th years though."  
"Yeah I'll go there." Harry said, and he took the note from Dumbledore and headed for the library.

Harry handed his note to the librarian. "Very well. Sit down and be quiet." Harry turned and looked for a seat.  
"Harry. Harry. Over here." Ginny whispered. He sat down across from her. "Why're you here?"  
"I got out of Divinations."  
"Lucky." She stood up and pulled his arm. "Come over here." Harry followed her all the way to the back of the library. "She can't hear us back here. Why'd you come here? Aren't there any other classes to take?"  
"Yeah there are, but none of them sound very interesting."  
"You're so lucky that you got out of there. I think I'm going to die this year if I have to sit through her class." She started looking for a book.  
"Ron got out too."  
"Where did he go?"  
"Arythmancy."  
Ginny laughed. "Figures. He'll probably be completely lost in that class, and then he'll beg Hermione for help, and of course she'll let him copy. Not like she could help anyone else. I asked her how hard the OWLS were, and she told me to stop being a whiney brat and go away."  
"She said that?"  
"Yeah, but I think she's taken Ron's side on this whole ignore Ginny thing, so maybe that's why. Where is it?" She said as she continued to dig through the shelf.  
"What are you looking for?" she handed him a piece of paper that said 'Everything You Need to Know About Transfiguration' and the place where it was at.  
"I figured it could help me a little. I'm horrible in Transfigurations, and it's not going to get any easier this year. I had it first thing today."  
Harry stepped back and looked at the shelf. "Here it is." He pulled it off and handed it to her.  
"Thanks. We better get back up there before the librarian starts looking for us." They walked back to their table, and Harry helped Ginny with her Transfiguration work the rest of the period.

Later that day, after Transfigurations was over, Harry went up to Professor McGonagall's desk. Ron and Hermione waited for him outside. "Yes Mr. Potter?" McGonagall said.  
"I was wondering if I'll be allowed to play quidditch this year."  
"Of course. Which reminds me... Mr. Weasley please come back in here." Ron walked into the classroom and to the desk.  
"Yes?"  
"What would be a good night for us to have a meeting?" she asked them.  
"You're asking us?" Ron asked.  
"Well one of you has to be the captain. We'll be voting to make it democratic and all that of course. So which night would be okay?"  
Harry looked at Ron. "Umm... I guess Saturday would be okay." Ron nodded.   
"Alright, Saturday evening it is. You can go now boys." They turned and walked out into the hallway and toward the Great Hall.  
"So how'd it go?" Hermione asked.  
"Harry you better be the captain because I can't." Ron said.  
"Oh come on Ron, why not?" Hermione asked.  
"Because... well... I dunno, but I can't. I can't handle all of that."  
Harry nodded. He had wanted to be the captain, but between the DA meetings and Occulmency... Harry sighed. He had forgotten to ask Dumbledore about that. And did he really need Occulmency anymore? He hadn't had a bad dream all summer. They sat down at the Gryffindor table.  
"So are you going to be the captain?" Ron asked.  
"No."  
"But -"  
"Ron, I have enough to do already. I don't need to be making up plays too."  
"But-"  
"Ron, drop it." Hermione said. "He does have enough to do. Besides, you always wanted to be the captain, so why don't you take it?"  
"Yeah I did but... now that I have the chance I really don't want to." Ron explained.  
"We'll figure something out." Harry said.


	17. The Mirror of Erised

The next morning at the end of breakfast, Dumbledore stood up and quieted everyone. "Yesterday there were now Defense Against the Dark Arts classes because the professor was not available. She is, however, here today, and the classes will begin as scheduled." Everyone started to leave for class. As Harry headed for his class, Professor McGonagall stepped in front of him and handed him a note.  
"This is from the Headmaster. There are directions written inside." She stepped around him and headed in the opposite direction. Harry opened the note and read it. Dumbledore wanted to talk to him, at five o'clock on Sunday evening. Harry wondered what he wanted to talk about. Maybe it had something to do with Occulmency...

The first few of Harry's classes went just as they had the day before, except that neither Snape or Malfoy said anything to him. _They're probably planning something_, Harry thought. He walked into the library and sat down with Ginny. "Who do you think the new professor is?" she asked.  
"Dunno, but it's a woman again. Hopefully a better one than last year."  
"Yeah really." Harry read a book on quidditch for the rest of the period.  
After lunch, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed for the DADA classroom. When they came in, no professor was there. They found their seats and looked around at the room. It looked almost exactly as Lumpin's room had looked three years ago. Then the classroom door opened, and a very old woman came slowly to the desk and set her book down.  
"By the time she finishes, the period will be over." Hermione whispered. The old woman stood up straight and turned to them.  
"Hello everyone." she said. Then she turned into a younger woman with purple hair. "My name is Professor Tonks, or just Tonks would be fine." Hermione giggled, and Ron and Harry smiled. Finally a DADA professor who wouldn't be bend on hurting them. Tonks picked up a roll of parchment on the desk and began reading it. "Hmmm... well let's see... wow you didn't get very far until you had Professor Lupin, did you?... uh hu... and 'Professor Moody' seemed to get you along well... and last year..." her eyes got very big. "Well anyway, I think this year we will pick up where Moony left off, and then head onto a few upper level things." She looked right at Harry and winked. "Now if you'll all get out your books and turn to chapter four. We will review the Unforgivable Curses first." It had to have been the best DADA class ever, or at least the best since Lupin had left.

On Saturday night, Ron, Harry, and Ginny headed for the quidditch pitch, so that the new captain could be voted on. They joined the other three players left from last year, and they all sat in the stands to wait for Professor McGonagall. Harry felt weird sitting with the newer players. He had never played with them before. In fact, he was the only one left on the team he had first played with. Finally, Professor McGonagall walked out of the castle and joined them in the stands.  
"Alright, now normally I choose the oldest and most experienced member of the team to be the captain. This year that would be Mr. Potter. But he has informed me that he does not want to be the captain, and the next person in line, Mr. Weasley, has also said that he doesn't want to be the captain. And since none of you want to be the captain, we are going to vote between Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley." Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron turned red and looked scared. A table appeared near McGonagall. "Each of you will come up here, write who you want to be captain on the paper, fold it, hand it to me, and then sit back down. Got it?" They nodded, and the first person went up. Harry watched them all walk up and write their choice. He hoped that they weren't writing his name, and he knew Ron was thinking the same thing. Harry was the last to go up. He wrote 'Ron' on the paper, folded it, and handed it to McGonagall. She took all of the papers back to the table, opened them, and set them in one of two piles. Harry wondered which pile was his; they both looked like they had the same number of papers. "Well... the winner by one vote is... Mr. Weasley." Ron's jaw dropped.  
"No!" he said. "No I can't be the captain! I don't know anything about making plays or any of that."  
"Ron apparently we want you as our captain." Ginny said.  
"But I... I can't..."  
Harry stood up. He didn't know what he was doing, but maybe it would save Ron some of his breath. "Look Ron if it makes you feel better then I'll be the captain."  
"That's very nice Mr. Potter, but the team voted for Mr. Weasley." McGonagall said.  
"Well..." Ron said. "Maybe... we could both be the captain."  
"The rules say that we're only allowed one." McGonagall said  
"He can be the captain and I'll be co-captain." Harry said.  
"Well... I guess that could work... I'll have to ask Albus though." McGonagall said. "I'll lave it up to you two to schedule the practices." she turned and walked back to the castle.  
"Okay... well..." Ron began "umm Harry and I will think about it, and then post the practice times in the common room." Harry nodded, and the whole team stood up and headed for the castle.  
Once they were back in their dormitory, Harry lied down on his bed and Ron stood against the wall. "So when are we going to have practices?"  
"I have to talk with Dumbledore about... some things." He had almost said Occulmency. Harry wasn't sure if he could tell Ron about that yet. "You know, like the DA. But after we get all of that scheduled, then we can schedule practices."  
"Alright." Ron said "When are you going to talk to him?"  
"Tomorrow afternoon. He wants me to come to his office for some reason, so I'll just ask then."  
Ron nodded and looked at his watch. He sighed. "I was supposed to meat Hermione a half hour ago. She's gonna kill me." he ran out of their dormitory and down the hall.

The next afternoon, Harry was walking up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. He knocked on the door and went inside. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk. "I'm glad you came. I have someone here who really wants to talk to you." he said. Remus Lupin was sitting in a chair on the other side of the desk.  
"Remus..." Harry began  
"Harry I must explain everything that I did over the summer. I know it must not have been all that great of an experience -"  
"It's alright. It wasn't your fault." Harry interrupted  
"But I still must explain it to you. You have to understand. Sit down, please." Harry sat down in a chair. "Alright now, Harry, we were going to wait for the Weasley's to take you from the Dursley's, but the Order was sent in because... Voldemort was seen in London. We had to make sure that you were safe. And the day after you left, he was seen on Privet Drive by Mrs. Fig." Harry's jaw dropped.  
"He didn't hurt anyone, did he?" Harry asked  
"No. The ministry was there in five minutes, and by then he was gone. We had to stop at that building because he was spotted again, that time even closer to you. We were going to keep moving, but after the demons attacked you, we were afraid that if we moved you and Voldemort attacked... you wouldn't be able to defend yourself..." Harry noticed that he had been saying 'Voldemort', not 'You-Know-Who'. "So you see Harry, we had to leave you there. But when you were in that building you were in no danger at all. We had every auror in the country guarding that building and looking for Voldemort."  
Harry nodded. "I understand."  
"And then Molly came in and took you away. I can understand her concern, but you'd think that she'd want you to be somewhere safe. Well anyway, you know the rest of the story."  
Harry nodded. He noticed that Remus looked very weak and pale. "Remus, are you alright?"  
"Yeah. It's that time of the month."  
"Oh... well thanks for telling me." Harry said  
"You needed to know. Just be careful Harry. He's still out there." Remus turned to Dumbledore "Well I should get back. Good day Headmaster, Harry." He walked out of the office and down the stairs.  
"If that answers all of your questions, then you may leave." Dumbledore said.  
"Umm... actually I did want to ask you a few things."  
"Go on."  
"Well, do I really need Occulmency?" Harry asked  
"Yes. Especially since the recent sightings of Voldemort."  
"But I haven't had a dream all summer!"  
"That doesn't mean that you can't have one now. I can schedule your classes with Professor Snape-"  
"No! Please! Don't let him teach me. I didn't get anywhere last year, and all he did was yell at me."  
Dumbledore was quiet for a minute. "Very well then. I suppose I could teach you, but with everything that's been going on in the school... there are so many first years that the school can barely hold all of them... but I suppose I could teach you Sunday afternoons."  
"Thank you sir. And I also wanted to ask about the DA..."  
"Do you still want to teach it?"  
"Yes if I have time."  
"I would suggest you talk to Professor Tonks, but if you still want to tutor your friends, then it would be alright with me."  
"I'll talk to her. Thank you sir." Harry headed for the door, when something caught his eye. There was a mirror in the corner of the room. Harry stopped and looked at it. It was the Mirror of Erised.   
"I brought that back to add to my collection." Dumbledore said. Harry nodded


	18. Captain

The second week of school went the same as the first had. The first quidditch practice was Friday night. The only members left from last year were Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the two beaters. After the practice had ended, Ron called the whole team to the ground. "Well apparently we still need two chasers, so if you know anyone who wants to try out, the try outs are Saturday afternoon. This Saturday. I want all of you to be here at one o'clock so that we can all judge the people who will be trying out." The other team members nodded and walked toward the castle. Harry helped Ron carry the quidditch equipment inside. Then they went into the locker room to change. Ron waited until the beaters had left before he said "I really don't like being captain."  
Harry shrugged. "They wanted you."  
"Yeah but... I dunno, I really don't like being the one in charge."  
"Why not? I would like to be the one in charge." Harry admitted.  
"Then why didn't you become the captain?" Ron asked  
"I told you, I have other things to do."  
"Like what?"  
"Like..." Harry paused. He still wasn't sure if he could tell Ron about everything that he'd been doing. He sighed "I can't tell you. Dumbledore won't let me."  
"Oh come on. It can't be that much of a secret."  
"Well it is. And it really doesn't matter, its not that important."  
"Then why can't you tell me?"  
"Because Dumbledore doesn't want me to."  
"Come on he'll never know."  
"Ron... I just can't tell you, okay?"  
"Fine." Ron got up and walked out of the locker room. A few minutes later, Harry came out, and headed for the common room. He really did want to tell Ron, but he wasn't sure if he should. _Geeze he probably hates me worse now_, Harry thought. He walked through the portrait hole and sat down in a chair. Harry looked around the common room, and saw Ron and Hermione in a corner by themselves. He wasn't sure what they were doing, but he could tell that they didn't want to be interrupted. Harry noticed how much his muscles hurt. He hadn't played quidditch for a while. The portrait swung open, and Ginny came into the common room. She looked in Ron and Hermione's direction, and then at Harry. As she walked past him, she asked "What are they doing?" Harry shook his head and got up to follow her. She sat at a table directly facing the corner, and Harry sat down next to her. "You okay?" she asked  
"Yeah."  
"You look like something hurts."  
"Yeah, everything hurts."  
"Oh." Ginny said. She looked at the corner. "If I could actually talk to Ron without him threatening to kill me, I'd go over there and see what they're doing. Hey! Why don't you go?"  
"No, he's already ticked off at me."  
"Why's that?"  
"Because I won't tell him every little detail of my life." Ginny nodded. Ron suddenly stood up, said something to Hermione, and ran up to the dormitories.  
"Someone's a little cranky." Ginny said  
Harry stood up. "I'll go talk to him."  
"Ask him if he would mind talking to his younger sibling once in a while." Ginny said as Harry was walking up the stairs. Harry walked into the dormitory and went to his trunk. He acted like he was looking for something, so that Ron wouldn't think that Harry had followed him.   
"We weren't doing anything in that corner, since you and your little girlfriend want to know." Ron said  
"I wasn't going to ask, and she's not my girlfriend. She's my only friend that I have left."  
"What's that supposed to mean? You don't consider us friends anymore?" Ron asked  
"Well I would think that a real friend would believe me, and not pry into my personal life -"  
"I wasn't prying! I just wanted to know why you weren't telling me."  
"You really want to know? Fine then. Voldemort had been following me all summer and now I have to take Occulmency again so that someone else doesn't die! And I didn't cut myself, demons really did attack me! They were part of the group Voldemort sent out to kill me! And I don't know what other reasons you have for ignoring me, but right now I don't really need it from you too." Harry slammed his trunk shut and fell onto his bed. He heard Ron get up and walk toward him.  
"I umm... well I guess I was mad at you because I... when you got hurt, mum was taking care of you all the time... I broke my arm and all she did was give me a potion and tell me to shut up... so I guess I was kind of jealous. I mean she's my mum, and - "  
"Yeah yeah I get it." Harry said  
"You're not mad?"  
"I'll say the same thing I said last time - yes I am mad, but at least there's a reason for what you did." Ron looked at his feet and turned around. "So what were you doing in the corner?" Harry asked.  
"Fighting." Ron said "Again." He sat on his bed. "It's like we can never get along. That one time in the summer when you and Ginny knocked on the door? Her stupid cat was chasing Pig. Not that I really care, but still, you'd think she could keep it on a leash. I swear it's out to get every pet I've ever owned." he paused for a minute. "Well... if I would have known about... Scabbers... then it could have had him." Harry smiled. "At least you have a girlfriend you can get along with." Ron said  
"By girlfriend do you mean -"  
"Cho." Ron said  
" I haven't talked to her for a while. But at least I know I can talk to her. She said her dad's in the Order."  
"Really? I haven't seen anyone new, well at least the one time I went to headquarters."  
"That's what she said."  
"They don't get new members that often, Harry. It sounds like a lie to me."  
Harry shrugged. "I dunno. But she said she knew about Sirius."  
"She could have been lying to get you to tell her things."  
Harry shook his head. "I don't think she'd lie about something that serious."  
"You never know." Harry stood up and walked down to the common room. He was going to find Cho, and ask her. He walked back to Ginny.  
"Where's Cho?"  
"I don't know. Probably in her common room. Why?"  
"Where's it at?"  
"I dunno, but it's probably on the map. Why what's wrong?"  
"The map." Harry said. He turned and ran back to his dormitory. He opened his trunk and pulled out the Marauder's Map. Harry pulled out his wand, pointed it at the map, and said "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map appeared, and there was a little dot that said 'Cho Chang'. Except it didn't look like she was in a common room. It looked like she was in the Room of Requirement. Ron was standing behind him.  
"What's up?" Ron asked. Harry pointed at Cho's dot.  
"Why is she in there?" Harry thought out loud. He put his wand back in his pocket, folded up the map, and headed for the common room again.  
"Where're you going?" Ron asked  
"To find out why she's in there." Harry said.


	19. Neville

Harry was waiting in the hallway. Cho was still in the Room of Requirement, and Harry couldn't get in, so he decided to wait for her to come out. He looked at the map and watched her little dot moving back and forth across the room. Suddenly, the dot went running for the door, and Harry hid the map in his robes. Cho came out into the hallway and looked at Harry. "Harry! What are you doing here?" she asked  
"I thought you were in there."  
"What do you want?"  
Harry noticed that she was very jumpy. "What's wrong?" he asked  
"Nothing. I'm a little -" She turned and started walking down the hall.  
"A little what?" Harry asked, following her.  
She spun around quickly. "Nothing! Just go away!" She went running down the hall.  
"Cho!" Harry chased after her and caught her before she went down the stairs. "What is it?" he asked, turning her around.  
"Nothing... I need to be alone for a little." She went running down the stairs. Harry was extremely confused. _What was wrong with her?_  
"What was that about?" Harry heard from behind him. He looked back and saw Neville.  
"I dunno. She just... flipped out at me. What are you doing up here?"   
"Going back to the common room. I had a meeting with Professor Trelawny." The two of them started walking down the stairs. "Why aren't you in that class this year?"  
"I got out on the first day."  
"Oh... well I have to get going. See you later Harry." Neville went running down the stairs, and a piece of paper fell out of his hands and onto the steps in front of Harry. Harry picked it up and looked at it. It was a note from Dumbledore, saying something about a meeting with him Sunday afternoon... Neville pulled the piece of paper from Harry's hands. "Thanks." Neville said as he was going downstairs. Harry knew why Dumbledore wanted to meet with both of them. He wanted to tell Neville about the Prophecy.

The next day around noon, Harry was going down to the Great Hall for lunch. He wanted to eat before he went to the try-outs. He looked up and saw Dumbledore and Neville coming toward him. "Mr. Potter come with me please." Dumbledore said, and Harry followed. The three of them went to his office. "I brought you both up here because I need to tell you something very important. Harry already knows, but it is time for you to know too, Neville." Dumbledore brought out his pensive. Harry didn't think he could stand to see it again... that stupid prophecy that had damned him before he was even born...  
"Sir do you mind if I stand outside?" Harry asked  
"Not at all. I understand completely. I will call you when I am done explaining everything to Neville." Harry walked out of the office, closing the door behind him. He made sure that he was far away enough so that he couldn't hear what was being said. After about ten minutes, Harry heard Dumbledore calling him, and he went back into the office. Neville looked like he'd just seen a ghost. "Now that you both know the situation, I know that you'll understand when I ask you both to come to my office tomorrow for Occulmency?" They nodded. "Good. Neville if you need anything else explained, I'm sure Harry would be alright telling you. You two can leave whenever you're ready." Dumbledore got up and left his office.  
"Harry what am I going to do!" Neville said  
"Well now you know why I'm not always so cheerful."  
"But... you've fought him before! You know what it's like! All I know is that he's really bad and killed almost everyone! If I ever had to fight him I'd probably faint or die of a heart attack or -"  
"Neville!" Harry interrupted. "Calm down. As long as we're with Dumbledore, we're okay. Voldemort's scared to death of Dumbldore."  
"How can you say his name that freely? I can't even think about his name without being scared."  
"I guess I was never taught to be afraid of it. It's just a name."  
"Yeah the name of a really evil bad guy out to kill everyone and everything! And he's after us! Well... I mean he's after you, but I guess if he saw me he'd want to kill me just as much!"  
"The only reason he wants to kill me is because I defeated him. He wants to prove to everyone that he wasn't beaten by a 'child'." Harry explained.  
"So then what does this got to do with me?" Neville asked  
"You're the second child born at the end of July. It's just that he decided to kill me first instead of you."  
"So... the only reason he wants to kill us... is because we're supposed to be more powerful than him?"  
"That was the original plan, until I de-powered him."  
Neville shook his head. "I can't be more powerful than him. I still can't levitate a stupid feather..." He looked at Harry. "But you... you can teach me. Like last year, with the DA. That actually helped more than any DADA class I've ever taken."  
Harry smiled. "Well I was thinking about not doing that this year, since we have a better professor, but I think I can make an exception."  
Neville smiled. "Thank you thank you thank you!" He got up and walked toward the door. "Thanks so much Harry. That makes me feel so much better." Neville opened the door and left. Harry looked down at his watch. It was 2:00! _Ron's going to kill me_, Harry thought. He went running out of the room, but he stopped in front of the Mirror of Erised. He wanted to look in it again, to see his parents again. _Maybe it will be different this time_, he thought. But as Harry started walking toward the mirror, he realized that he didn't want to know what his heart's desire was.

Harry ran out onto the quidditch pitch. "Thanks for being on time Harry." Ron said.  
"I had a meeting with Dumbledore. He stopped me in the hall."  
Ron sighed and looked up. Four people (it was hard to tell if they were boys or girls) were flying above them. "We've got it down to those four. So I figured, that if we sent Ginny up there, then maybe we could find the two best players." Ginny was sitting in front of them with her broom at her side. Harry nodded.  
"Sound like a plan to me. Who are they?"  
Ron picked up a paper. "There's three girls and a boy. Amanda, Jessica, Holly, and Tom. Amanda and Jessica are third years, and Holly and Tom are second years."  
Harry looked up at them. "They're pretty good for beginners."  
Ron nodded. "Hermione wanted to try out, but I wouldn't let her. She can't even fly. How does she expect to play quidditch if she can't fly?" Ron looked up at the four soon to be chasers and motioned them down. After they had landed, Ron said "Ok now we're going to put you up there with Ginny. We'll see how you do. Then we'll get the rest of the team up there." Ginny mounted her broom and flew up. The four new chasers followed.  
"I'm going to go get my Firebolt." Harry said to Ron. Ron nodded and Harry headed for the broom locker. By the time he came back the new chasers and Ginny were done. Ron and Ginny were talking privately. Ron motioned for Harry to join them.  
"They're all pretty good." Ginny said. "But the best is Amanda. She's defiantly played before. And Tom's really good too."  
"Well let's get them up there, so we can see how they do when the whole team's with them." Ron said. He went over to the rest of the team, and Harry and Ginny followed. "We're going to act like this is a real game, only without the other team." He took out the quaffle and bludgers, and handed the snitch to Harry. "Go on get up there." The team flew up into the air. The beaters hit a bludger back and forth, the five chasers passed around the quaffle and tried to score, and Harry threw the snitch up. He caught it and threw it again. After a while, he started to get bored, so he flew up higher and watched the chasers. He could tell who was the best out of the four. One of the girls and the boy were always in front of the others. They worked as a team well. Ron was telling them all to land.  
"It's getting dark so I guess we should stop for tonight. We'll let you know if you made the team." Everyone except Ron, Harry, and Ginny left the field. "Geeze you'd think they'd at least help us put the balls away." Ginny went to get the quaffle while Harry and Ron caught the bludgers.

"Harry..."   
Harry opened his eyes and looked at the curtains on his bed. Someone was calling him.  
"... Harry..."  
It sounded a lot like... "Sirius?" Harry said.  
"... Harry..."  
"Sirius? Where are you?"  
"... Harry... stay away from the blue light..."  
"What blue light? Sirius?"  
"... stay away from the blue light..."  
"Sirius?" Sirius's voice had faded, and now there was another one.  
"Harry Potter..." Harry crawled back against the wall. It was Voldemort. But how was he in Hogwarts? But then Harry realized that he wasn't in Hogwarts... he was in a...  
"Harry?" Ron said. Harry woke up and looked up at Ron. "Are you alright?" Harry nodded and sat up. It was only a dream. Just a dream. "Were you having those dreams again?"  
Harry nodded. "Do you know anything about a blue light?"  
"Blue light? No, why?"  
"In my dream... Sirius said something about a blue light..."  
"You heard Sirius?" Harry nodded. "That might mean something... I don't know what, but Hermione probably does. You could ask her." Ron paused. "But then again she'll probably flip out like she normally does..."  
"I have to see Dumbledore today anyway." Harry said.  
"For what?"  
"Occulmency."  
"Oh. Is that why you were late yesterday?" Ron asked  
"No he wanted to tell..." Harry stopped.  
"Tell?"  
"He wanted to tell Neville about... the prophecy."  
"What prophecy?"  
"The one you found in the ministry."  
"Oh that... what's that got to do with Neville?" Harry got up and grabbed Ron's arm.  
"Come on." He dragged Ron into the common room. They found Hermione and Ginny. "Come on I have something to show you." The four of them walked into the hall and to Dumbledore's office. Harry knocked on the door and went in.  
"Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. "You're early."  
"Actually I was wondering if... if you could show them... the prophecy."  
"I suppose so." Dumbledore said.  
"It would be easier if they watched it." Dumbledore went to get his pensive and Harry went for the door.  
"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.  
"I'd rather not watch it again." Harry said. He left the room and stood in the hall until Dumbledore called him back. When he went back into the office, the other three looked shocked and scared.  
"Ron." Harry said. "That's why I couldn't tell you." Ron nodded.   
"I can't picture Neville doing anything like that." Ginny said.  
"I know. That's why I'm going to teach him." Harry said. Dumbledore looked up from his desk.  
"Well that will give him a better chance of not fainting." Hermione said. Ron stood up.  
"Sorry but... I have to go..." he said. He and Hermione left.  
"I'll go too." Ginny said.  
"Well Harry if that's all for the moment... you are rather early for the lesson." Dumbledore said.  
"Yeah I know but... there is one more thing."  
"Yes?"  
"Do you know anything about a blue light?"  
"What kind of blue light?"   
"I don't know... but in my dream last night, Sirius said something about a blue light."  
"I have never heard of a blue light in a dangerous sense, but maybe we will find out at a later time."  
Harry nodded. "Thanks sir."  
"See you at two." Dumbledore said. Harry turned and left. 

A few hours later, Harry was back in Dumbledore's office. "Well I think we'll let Neville try it first." Dumbledore said. "He's never actually done Occulmency before."  
Harry nodded and looked around the office as Neville practiced. The mirror caught his eye again. He wanted to look in it. Just real quick, to see if it's changed, Harry thought. "Harry?" Dumbledore said. "It's your turn now." Harry pulled out his wand and stood up.  
Dumbledore pointed his wand at Harry and said the spell. Harry was able to hold him off for about two minutes, before he gave up and fell to the ground. "Not bad." Dumbledore said. "But I was going easy on you. We both know that Voldemort will not go easy. Shall we try again? Neville needs some time to recuperate." Dumbledore hit Harry with a harder spell. Harry could barely hold him off. He saw himself kissing Cho in the Weasley's living room, lying in a bed with Ginny... Sirius falling backward... Dumbledore stopped. "I see that you need more practice. I'll go back to Neville." Harry fell into a chair and watched Neville's pitiful attempt to stop the spell. He lasted maybe half a second... tops... "Alright boys that is enough for tonight. I want you both to try to clear your minds before you go to sleep tonight. I'll see you back here next week." Dumbledore said. Harry and Neville left. Harry stared at the mirror as he walked to the door.


	20. Quidditch

The next few weeks went the same as they always did. Amanda and Tom became the new chasers, and Neville was starting to get better with Occulmency. Harry's schedule was so full that he barely had time to eat and sleep. He had the DA on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, he taught Neville on Tuesday and Thursday, he had Occulmency on Sunday, and as if that wasn't enough, Ron had made quidditch practices every night. Now it was the second week of October. That weekend was the first Gryffindor vs. Slytherin quidditch match, so they were practicing twice as hard. "Harry?"  
Harry picked up his head and looked at Ginny. "What?" They were in the library for their study hall.  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yeah I'm just really tired." He set his head back down.  
"You've been working to hard."  
"Tell me something I don't know."  
"I once French kissed a dog."  
Harry looked at her. "What?"  
"It's something you didn't know."  
Harry sighed. "Why would you French kiss a dog?"  
"Actually it was my old boyfriend. I consider him a dog." Harry sighed again and put his head back on the table. "Well at least Tonks is helping you with the DA."  
"Yeah. I don't think I'm going to go tonight though."  
"You shouldn't. Tonks can do it alone. She is the teacher. And you need some sleep before tomorrow."  
"True." Harry said. "If I didn't have classes, I'd fall asleep right now."

Harry barely stayed awake for the rest of his classes. The last class he had for that day was DADA. He couldn't remember a word Tonks was saying. On his way out, he told Tonks that he wasn't going to the DA that night.  
"Alright. Are you okay? You don't look well." Tonks said  
"Yeah I'm just tired."  
"Oh. You better get some sleep before tomorrow."  
"I know." Harry started to walk to the door.  
"Harry." Tonks said. "You should go to the nurse. She can give you a potion to make you sleep."  
"Yeah I know. Maybe I will do that." Harry left her room and headed for the common room. He really didn't need a potion. He walked into his dormitory, fell onto his bed, and fell asleep.  
"Harry.." Harry opened his eyes and looked around his dormitory.  
"... Harry..."  
"Sirius? Where are you?"  
"...Harry..."  
"Sirius?"  
"Harry?" Ron was shaking him. It was that dream, again. "Are you alright? Why didn't you come to practice?"  
"Sorry I fell asleep. How did practice go?"  
"It was alright. I don't know how we're going to do tomorrow though. Malfoy has one heck of a team this year."  
"He's the captain?"  
"Yeah. I watched them the other day after practice. Their beaters are really good. So are the chasers. The keeper sucks, so they shouldn't have a hard time scoring, that is if they can get past the beaters. Are you going to be alright for tomorrow?"  
Harry nodded. "I'm fine."  
"You know how I said that Malfoy is probably waiting for a good opportunity? Well I think tomorrow is his chance. He might do something to make you mad. He wants to win against us more than anything. Ever since you got on the team Slytherin hasn't won a match against us. Even last year we won."  
"I know."  
"Just be careful."

The next afternoon, Harry was in the locker room with the other Gryffindors. Ron was saying something about some kind of play, but Harry wasn't really listening. He was still tired, although he did feel better than he had the night before. Ginny nudged Harry. She looked at Ron, and Harry looked too. He still wasn't listening. Ron was saying something to the chasers. "And Harry." Ron said. "We already talked. Let's go." The team got up and went to the quidditch pitch.  
Ten minutes into the game, Gryffindor was winning by 50 points. Harry watched Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. He was watching the others play. It was like he didn't care about looking for the snitch... like he was waiting for his chance... Harry looked down as Ginny went underneath him. He watched her for a second. As she got closer to the hoops, Harry could see what Malfoy had been waiting for. One of the beaters was right in front of Ginny, with a bludger in his arms. Ginny tried to go around him. Just then he let the bludger go, and it hit Ginny. She dropped the quaffel and fell off of her broom. A Slytherin Chaser grabbed the quaffel and scored. Ginny was lying on the ground, not moving at all. Malfoy was laughing.  
"What's the matter Potter? Mad that your little girlfriend got hit?" Ron had been right. He was waiting for his chance to really tick Harry off. Harry saw something glittering near the Gryffindor posts, and sped off to get it. Malfoy followed. Harry saw the snitch right behind Ron.  
"Harry look out!" Ron screamed. A bludger had just missed Ron and was heading toward Harry. He ducked, and the bludger hit Malfoy on his shoulder. He fell off of his broom just as Harry grabbed the snitch.  
"Gryffindor wins!" Harry heard. The rest of the team was flying toward Ginny, who was still lying on the ground. Harry followed.  
"Ginny!" Ron said. He fell onto his knees and shook Ginny. She moaned softly. She had been hit hard in her side. "It's alright. Everything's going to be okay." Ron said.  
"Out of the way!" the nurse said. She pushed through them and looked at Ginny. "Looks like only a few broken ribs. I can fix this in an hour." She floated Ginny into the castle. The rest of the team followed. "Oh I have to get Mr. Malfoy too." She went over to where Malfoy was lying and asked Snape to float him into the hospital wing. The Gryffindor team left the field so that they wouldn't have to talk to the Slytherin team. Ron looked behind him at Malfoy.  
"Good job Harry." he said. "He won't be playing for a while."


	21. Occulmency with Tonks

Three weeks later, Harry was sitting in Tonks' class. They were learning the basics of Occulmency. "Harry." Tonks said "Would you mind helping me with a little demonstration?" Harry stood up and walked to the front of the classroom. Being Tonks' helper was a normal thing for him now. She asked for him to help with demonstrations almost every day. "Now remember class, Harry has had some experience with these spells. That is why I use him and not one of you. Please do not try the spell I'm about to use. You could end up frying each other's brains. I will give you a much simpler spell to use after the demonstration. Ready Harry?" Harry pulled out his wand and nodded. "Caticlizmic!" Harry felt her trying to pry into his thoughts, but he pushed her back. Dumbledore had used that one before. Tonks lifted the spell. "Very good Harry. You may sit down now." Harry went back to his seat. "Please get out your wands. We will be trying a similar spell. Remember that Harry made it look easy. Now please repeat after me: quicsimpia."  
"Quicsimpia." the class said.  
"Very good. You may find a partner and begin." Harry turned to Ron.  
"Is it really that hard?" Ron asked  
"The one she used on me up there was, but Dumbledore uses that one all the time. Ready?" Ron nodded. Harry pointed his wand at Ron. "Quicsimpia." Ron immediately gave up.  
"How long was that?"  
"Oh maybe one second, tops."  
Ron sighed. "This is really hard. Here let me try on you." Ron lifted his wand and said 'quicsimpia'. Harry didn't even have to try to keep Ron away. _Geeze this must be hard_, Harry thought. _I'm letting him see my thoughts and he still can't do it._ Ron stopped. "Maybe this is something we should do in the DA."   
"Something wrong boys?" Tonks asked  
"This is really hard." Ron said  
"Well of course it is if you're partners with Harry. He does this every week. Why don't we switch you with someone who hasn't done it before." She took Ron to another pair, and brought back Neville. "I think this will work better for both of you."  
"Is it just me or am I actually good at something?" Neville said.  
"I think you are. I never really thought it was that hard. Even last year when I had Occulmency with Snape."  
"With Snape?" Neville said. "I wouldn't be able to stand that."  
"Yeah that's why I'm with Dumbledore now. I guess we should look like we're doing something."  
"Alright. I'll go first. Quicsimpia." Harry was surprised. He actually had to try hard to keep Neville out of his thoughts. _He's really gotten good at this_, Harry thought. "Thanks."  
"You heard that?"  
"Yes I did. You want to try now?" Harry nodded and pulled out his wand. "Don't go easy on me. I need the practice."  
"I won't. Quicsimpia." Harry tried as hard as he could to get into Neville's mind. After a few minutes, he gave up. "You've really gotten good at this."  
Neville blushed. "Thanks."   
"Please put your things away." Tonks said. "The bell's about to ring." Just as she said that, the bell rang. Tonks stopped Harry and Neville on their way out. "You two did a very nice job today. I think you should work together on harder things like this. You are a little too advanced for the beginners. I'll see you tonight at the DA." They thanked her and left. Ron and Hermione were waiting for Harry.  
"What was that about?" Ron asked.  
"She was just saying that we did a good job." Neville said.  
"You did. Both of you." Hermione said. "Some fully grown wizards can't do that spell, let alone resist it." Harry smiled.  
"So are you actually coming to the DA tonight?" Ron asked.  
"Yeah you haven't been showing up." Neville said.  
"I will. I've had so much to do lately that the DA wasn't all that important." Harry said  
"Do you remember why we started the DA?" Hermione asked. "There are so many members now. They want you to teach them, not Tonks. Some have even threatened to leave if you don't show up. They're afraid, and they know you can tell them what to do."  
"I remember." Harry said. "And I'll be there tonight."

Later that night, after quidditch practice, Harry and Ron were walking to Tonks' classroom. They met Hermione half way there. "Hurry up." she said "They've been waiting for a while now." The three of them walked into the classroom. Harry's jaw dropped. The DA used to only have about ten members, now it had more than thirty.  
"Here he is." Tonks said. They all turned to look at Harry. He felt extremely nervous as he walked to the front of the classroom. _All of these people, here to learn from me_, Harry thought. _Wow... who would have thought it._ "Harry we were just voting on what to learn next. Most of the group seems to want to learn about patronuses. I take it you already started them last year."  
"Yeah but we didn't get very far." Harry said.  
"You're not supposed to learn how to produce a patronus until the end of your sixth year. But I guess we could teach the basics to them, especially to the younger students."  
"Younger students?"  
"Yes. There are a few second and third years here." Harry looked at the crowd of students. Only about fifteen were fifth years or above. Ron, Hermione, Semus, Neville, Cho, Ginny, and a few others. Harry also recognized Tom and Amanda from the quidditch team.  
"Umm..." Harry said. Hermione raised her hand. "Yes?"  
"Well I think we should learn what exactly a patronus is used for before we try to make one." she said.  
"Great idea!" Tonks said. She went into a long explanation about dementors and why they were bad. Harry walked around the room.  
"Thanks." he whispered to Hermione as he passed her. She nodded.  
"Alright now Harry? Why don't you tell us what it's like to fight an actual dementor?" Tonks said.  
"Well... they aren't the most pleasant things in the world. They suck all of your happy thoughts out of you. So you either fight them or let them kiss you." Someone's hand went up. "Yes?"  
"Is it true that you saw a dementor's face?" the girl asked  
"Yes."  
"Was it horrible?" she asked.  
"I've seen worse," Harry said, thinking of the deamons, "but yes it was horrible."   
"What could be worse than a dementor?" a second year boy asked. Harry looked up at Tonks. She nodded.  
"Vengeance deamons. And Voldemort. But right now we're talking about dementors. As I said, if you don't want to be kissed, you better learn to fight them. Making a patronus isn't that hard after you do it once. The hard part is making it when you're being attacked."  
"Very true Harry." Tonks said. "Patronuses take the form of some kind of animal, usually one that coincides with a special trait of yours. What is your patronus, Harry?"  
"A stag."  
"Any idea why it takes that form?" Tonks asked  
"Yes. My dad was an animagi, and he turned into a stag."  
"I suppose Professor Lupin told you that?"  
"Yes."  
"Mine is a cat. A leopard to be more exact." she turned back to the students. "Your patronus can turn into any animal. We will not know which animal it is until you are able to produce it." Another hand went up.  
"How long did it take you to learn, Harry?" someone asked  
"Most of my third year. I could never really do it until I... well I saw myself do it." Hermione giggled.  
"You saw yourself do it?" Tonks asked  
"Yeah. We were..."  
"Harry we're not allowed to talk about that, remember?" Hermione said  
"Oh... yeah."  
Tonks nodded. "I see." She seemed to understand what he was going to say. She looked at her watch. "Oh I believe our time is almost up. We will have to continue this next time." The other students left. "Harry come here please." Tonks said. "I know why you couldn't tell us. You used a time turner to go back in time and you saved yourself."  
"Well actually... that's not why we went back... but yeah I saved myself, and Ron, and Hermione, and... Sirius."  
"I thought that was you." Tonks said "No one else would have risked everything to save Sirius, especially at a time when we all thought he was a murderer." Talking about Sirius made Harry remember what had happened in the ministry. He tried hard to forget it, but he couldn't. "It must be hard after what happened. But Harry you must understand, there was nothing you could have done. There was nothing anyone could have done."  
"Yes there was something that I could have done. I could have stopped being a stubborn brat for once and listen when people tell me important things."  
"Harry it's over now. It's in the past. And even though you can go back and change it, you shouldn't. Leave the past alone." Harry nodded and left.


	22. Thinking

"Cho?" Harry asked. He was chasing her down the halls on a cold Saturday afternoon in November. _Why is she being like this? Why won't she talk to me?_ Harry thought. "Cho? Cho stop please! I need to talk to you." But she just kept walking. Harry lost her in a large crowd. He gave up and turned away from the group. _Why is she like this?_ he thought. _I month ago she wanted to be with me every day. Now she runs away from me. _Harry looked up and noticed that he had walked onto the seventh floor, and the door to the Room of Requirement was in front of him. He opened it and walked inside. "Hello?" No one answered. The room was quiet and warm. There was a very large bed in the middle of it. Harry looked at the bed. _I guess this is what I want_, Harry thought. He climbed into the bed and immediately fell asleep.  
When he woke up, the room looked the same. He turned onto his side and looked at the fire. There was something in the fire... someone's face... Harry sat up and looked harder. It looked a lot like... _no you're seeing things it can't be_... Harry shook his head and looked back at the fire. The face was gone. _I am seeing things_, Harry thought. He lied back down and closed his eyes. _Why does everything end up like this?_ he thought. _Why couldn't it have been me, Dumbledore, anyone except Sirius._ The more Harry thought about it, the more he realized that Sirius had been his way into the adult world, his information and support. _And now he's dead because of me._ His thoughts turned to the prophecy. _Voldemort only killed my parents because he was after me, and they were in his way. Wow I must be on some kind of killing streak. Pretty soon everyone will be dead. And then it will just be me and Voldemort, and then I'll die so it will only be Voldemort... that's great I was put on this earth to kill and then be killed... great just great._ Harry looked into the fire again. _Why is Cho so distant? Why is everyone so distant? Is there something I don't know about? Well knowing what happened last year... oh Harry there's been this group that's been following you for like ever and the teacher who predicts your death actually did predict it once..._ last year no one had told him anything. _It's my life! I should at least know what's going on. And now it's happening again. Even Ginny has stopped talking to me. _Harry sighed. _What is going on? All I want is to know what's happening and to have some one to talk about it with... I used to have that. Ron and Hermione used to listen to me all the time. But not anymore. They're too busy with each other to even care. Why are they doing this?_ Harry glanced at the clock that was hanging above the fire. It was already eight o'clock. He wondered if anyone was looking for him... if anyone cared... he felt tears running down his face. _Stop it_, he told himself. _You're not supposed to cry... boys aren't supposed to cry._ He took a deep breath and climbed out of the bed. _Stop it_, he told himself again. He whipped his tears away. _Stop it already._ He walked out of the room and back to the common room.

Harry walked into the common room. He tried to walk quickly and quietly so that he wouldn't be noticed. He snuck into his dormitory and sat down on his cold bed. Ron came bursting into the room. "Where were you?" he asked  
"What?"  
"We had practice tonight and you didn't come."  
"Oh... sorry I forgot."  
"You can't keep forgetting all of the time! We need practice if we're going to win the cup this year."  
"I don't care about quidditch." Harry muttered  
"What?"  
"Nothing."  
"You don't care? Then why are you on the team?"  
"Good question." Harry said  
"If you're going to have this kind of attitude about winning then -"  
"Ron I don't care about winning!" Harry screamed. "I don't care about winning and I don't care about quidditch!"  
"Then why are you wasting your time on the team?" Ron asked  
"Because I used to like to play... until this year. Funny... I thought what's really going on in my life mattered more to you than if we win or not... guess I was wrong." Harry got up and left the room.  
"Where are you going?" Ron asked  
"To tell McGonagall that I quit." Harry said. He had only gotten three feet away from the Fat Lady when Ron came running out.  
"Harry wait! Listen I... I don't want you to quit. I just... I dunno. I don't know what's been wrong with me lately. Geeze you must hate me after all I've put you through." Harry didn't answer. Instead he kept walking. But he wasn't going to McGonagall. He just wanted to be alone, to have some time to think. He walked out onto the quidditch pitch and sat in the stands. He remembered how fun quidditch had been. Now it wasn't fun anymore. Nothing was. _When I was a first, second, and third year, everything had been fun. Nothing was serious._ Even Fluffy didn't seem that scary anymore. _That's when this all started... this whole I must be heroic thing... Why do I even care if other people die? Why am I always saving the day?_ He sighed and wished he had someone to ask all of this... someone to talk to... _but you killed him, remember?_


	23. Mark Evans

Before the next Occulmency class, Harry got an owl from Dumbledore. He wanted them to meet in Snape's room for the lesson. _But why on Earth did he want to be in Snape's room? Unless... _unless Dumbledore wasn't teaching them anymore.  
At 1:00, Harry headed downstairs to Snape's classroom. He knocked on the door and stepped inside. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen, but Snape was standing behind his desk. "You're late." he said  
"Where's Professor Dumbledore?"  
"The headmaster is far too busy to be teaching you how to defend yourself. So unfortunately you were passed onto me. I've already taught Longbottom." Harry saw Neville out of the corner of his eye. He was shaking like he was having a seizure. "Now it's your turn. I hope that the headmaster has taught you something. He certainly didn't help Longbottom at all." Harry pulled out his wand and stepped closer to the desk. He tried to clear his mind.  
"Cataclismic!" Snape screamed. The spell hit Harry so hard that he fell backward, but he held Snape off for about five minutes. Then he saw himself with Cho, Ginny being run over with a bludger, Sirius falling... Snape lifted the spell. "Well I must say... five whole minutes... that has to be a new record. For someone with as weak a mind as yours anyway." Harry felt his blood boiling, but in a way he was relieved. Snape hadn't said anything for the longest time. At least he was back to normal. Snape made him try at least ten times, and each time Harry held him off a little longer. "Alright you two can go. I don't want to know what kind of trouble I'd be in if I fried your brains... not that it would be all that tragic." Harry and Neville got up to leave. "Wait Potter. I have to tell you something." Harry turned around and went back to his desk.  
"Yes?"  
"I have been letting you slide in potions, but only because Dumbledore has threatened to fire me if I am too harsh. But you are in a NEWT level class and I will not allow it anymore. Don't expect to have an easy time tomorrow in class." Harry nodded and left. 

Harry walked back into the common room and fell onto a couch. The lesson with Snape had made him even more tired than usual. Neville walked past him.  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked him.  
"Oh y-y-eah. I'll... be fine." he responded. _Geeze Snape scared him so much that he'll be shaking for weeks_, Harry thought. He lied back down and looked up at the ceiling. It was raining outside. _Winter's coming_, he thought. He heard someone lean onto the back of the couch, and Hermione looked down at him.  
"Hello." he said  
"Can we talk?" she asked  
"Sure." Harry sat up and she sat down beside him.  
"We haven't talked much over the last few months. It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's just that... well Ron's had these crazy ideas, and after awhile I started believing him... and... I don't know. It just got out of hand. I wanted to ask how you've been. Like how have classes been going and all that."  
"They're alright, I guess."  
"That's good. Your in most of the NEWT level classes, aren't you?" she asked  
"I wouldn't say most of them. Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, and Potions."  
"Those are the classes you need to become an Auror, so I'd say you're doing good."  
"Yeah I guess. You're the one that's in all of them."  
"Well most of them anyway."  
"How'd you do on your OWLS?" Harry asked her. "All you said before was that you did good."  
"I got an O in everything except Astronomy and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but you know how it was to take those finals. How did you do?"  
"An O in everything except potions. I don't know how I got into the NEWT level class."  
"Maybe Snape likes you."  
Harry laughed. "I don't think Snape is capable of 'liking' someone." he said  
"You never know." She touched his face and turned it toward her. "Are you feeling okay? You look kind of sick."  
"I haven't got much sleep, but other than that I'm fine."  
"Ron's being so ridiculous (sp?) with those practices. Actually he's that way with everything. I don't know what's wrong with him, but I do know that if he keeps it up much longer, you won't see me sitting so close to him. There's only so much a girl can take." she said  
"I know. Every time I try to talk to him, it turns into something that I didn't do that I should have done. I can't stand talking to him anymore." Harry said. Hermione nodded. They sat there for a long time not saying anything, but that was okay with Harry. At least they were on speaking terms again.

After the talk with Hermione, Harry decided to improve his potions report. If the class really was going to be harder, then he'd better write a little better. And now he could get Hermione to help him. He got his books and sat down at a table near the fire. Hermione joined him. "Potions?" she asked  
"Yeah. He warned me today. 'You're in a NEWT level class and I won't let you slide anymore.'" he said  
"Why'd he let you slide?"  
"Something Dumbledore said to him."  
"Oh." She reached across the table and grabbed his paper. "Here let me help you." She read it slowly, sometimes making marks on the paper. "It looks good to me, but if you really want to improve it, I have a book in my trunk that will help." She got up and went to get the book. Harry shook his head and read the paper again. Harry heard someone sit in Hermione's chair. He looked up. It was a small boy.  
"Hi." the boy said  
"Hey."  
"You're Harry, aren't you?"  
"Yeah."  
"I thought so. I'm Mark."  
"Nice to meet you." Hermione came running back into the common room.  
"Oh sorry." Mark said. He jumped out of her chair. "Talk to you later Harry." He went to join a group of first years.  
"I see you've made a friend." Hermione said. She handed the book to him.  
"Thanks." Harry opened the book. Hermione jumped out of the seat.  
"Umm Harry I have to go." She went running to her dormitory. Harry looked up. _Geeze she's jumpy_. He could see why she'd left so quickly; Ron had just come into the common room. Mark came over and took Hermione's chair again. Harry was glad that he had, he didn't want to talk to Ron right now.  
"So what're you working on?" Mark asked  
"A potions paper."  
"You're in his NEWT class aren't you? I can't stand Snape."  
"You ask a lot of questions. Yes I'm in his NEWT class."  
"Sorry, I don't have many people to talk to. The other first years don't really like me."  
"Why don't they like you?" Harry asked  
"I dunno. They just kind of don't like being around me. I don't know why. I don't have any disease or anything." Harry wondered if he was another Creevy. That would explain why no one likes him.  
"What's your last name?" Harry asked  
"Evans."  
"Mark Evans..."   
"Yeah."  
"Where have I heard that name before?" Harry thought out loud.  
"If you did hear my name, it was probably after the word 'stupid' or 'little'."  
Then the light bulb in Harry's head clicked. _Dudley had beaten up a Mark Evans last year._ "Dudley beat you up..." he thought out loud, again.  
"Dudley? You know Dudley? He's not here is he?"  
Harry laughed. "Yeah right. I'm his cousin."  
"Oh. I thought you were a part of his gang or something. Geeze you almost gave me a heart attack."  
"Sorry."  
"Hey I saw you! You were beating the heck out of Dudley last summer!" Harry smiled and laughed. "He needed it though. I had no idea it was you. How could they make you stay there? Isn't there anywhere else you could go?"  
"I need to stay with my family. They're the only family I have."  
"Oh yeah the whole Voldemort thing." Mark looked at his watch. "Oh geeze I have to go. Bye Harry!"  
"Bye." Harry watched him run out into the hall. Ron came over to him.  
"Who's that?" Ron asked  
Harry shook his head. "The weirdest kid I've ever seen." Ron sat down in the same chair that Mark and Hermione had sat in.  
"Look Harry... I'm really sorry. I've been... I dunno, it's weird. I'm mad at you one minute and then I can't remember anything."  
"You can't remember?"  
"No. It's so weird."  
"Maybe you should ask Hermione."  
"Yeah right! You saw her run away! She won't come near me anymore."  
"Maybe I could talk to her."  
"You would do that? Really?"  
"Yeah I guess so."  
Ron shook his head. "I don't think she'll listen."  
"She might, if she understands why you've been like this." Ron suddenly looked up. Harry turned around. Hermione had come back into the common room, and she was heading for the portrait hole. Harry got up and started following her.  
"Thanks mate. I owe you one." Ron said.

Note from rokerbaby: Yes I am aware that Mark Evans is no one. I didn't know that at the time I wrote this, so just go with it.


	24. Snape

"Hermione wait!" Harry called. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. "I need to tell you something. Where are you going?"  
"The library. If this is about Ron -"  
"It is but you might want to hear it." They walked into the library and went all the way to the back. "I was talking to him after you left."  
"Yeah I saw."  
"He asked me for help... well at least I think he did... but I don't know what to tell him."  
"And this is my problem because?" she asked.  
Harry sighed. "Because you know how to help him."  
"What makes you think I want to help him?"  
"Then help me help him."  
"Fine. What's wrong with him?"  
"Well... I don't really know. That's why I need your help." Harry said.  
"Okay. Is he sick or something?"  
"Uhh."  
"You're not being very helpful."  
"I know. He said something about... like he does something, and then he can't remember that he did it."  
"Short term memory loss."  
"Yeah but... he made it sound like a big deal."  
"He makes everything a big deal." she said.  
"But maybe there's something he didn't tell me."  
"Well that won't get us very far."  
"Hermione could you just turn off the attitude for a minute?"  
"Harry I can't help you. I don't know what's wrong with him, and right now I don't care."  
"You don't care?" he asked  
"No I don't." she walked past him quickly. Harry went back out into the main part of the library and sat down. _Now what am I going to do? Who else would know about this?_

That night, Harry woke up at 3:45 AM. He didn't know why he was up so early; he'd just gone to bed two hours ago. He sat up and looked around the dormitory. Everyone else was asleep. Harry got dressed and headed for the common room. He was still tired, but he knew that he wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon. He fell onto a couch.  
"Harry?" Harry looked up. Ron was there too. "What're you doing up?" Ron asked.  
"Couldn't sleep."  
"Me either. Do you think that quidditch practice has been to hard?"  
"Not really. Why?"  
"Some people have complained."  
"They should be glad that Oliver isn't on the team anymore. He worked us until we almost died."  
"I think Hermione hates me." Ron said. "What did she say when you talked to her?"  
"She said that she can't help you."  
"That's what I thought. It would help a lot if I could remember what I did to make her so mad." They stopped talking until it was time to go to breakfast.

Harry walked into Snape's class and sat next to Hermione. "Where's Ron?" he asked her.  
"Don't know, don't care." she said. They stopped talking because Snape had started a lecture on a certain potion's ingredients. It was his new game for them, guess the potion. "Pollyjuice" Hermione whispered to Harry.  
"Potter!" Snape said "Since apparently you know so much that you don't have to listen, which potion is it?"  
"Pollyjuice." Harry said  
"I asked for your answer, not hers." Harry could hear Draco laughing. "Do you know what a Pollyjuice Potion does?"  
"Transforms you into someone else."  
"And how long does it take to make?"  
"A month."  
"Well I am amazed. You actually studied." Snape moved on to his next victim.  
"Good job." Hermione said. Snape was asking someone to name ingredients that he hadn't. They couldn't answer him.  
"Potter. Since you and Granger share a brain now, answer the question."  
"Knotgrass, boomslang skin..." Harry was amazed that he still remembered. It had been almost five years. "And a bit of who you want to turn into."  
"See me after class." Snape said. The bell rang and everyone but Harry left.  
"How did you know that? Was Granger passing you notes."  
"No. I read one of her books." Harry lied.  
"Sure you did. From now on you will not be sitting near her."  
"But-"  
"That is enough Potter." Harry left the room. Hermione was waiting in the hall for him.  
"What did you tell him?"  
"That I read one of your books."  
"Good. I don't want him knowing the real reason. I'm surprised you remember all of that."  
"Me too."

After dinner that night, Harry was heading back to the common room. Ron was going into the common room just as Harry got there. "Ron!" he said. Ron sat down. "Where've you been?" Harry asked  
"Around."  
"Around where?"  
"Just around. How did Snape's class go?" Ron asked  
"He won't let me sit by Hermione anymore."  
"Why?"  
"He thinks she's giving me answers."  
"Well she does."  
"Yeah but I don't want him knowing that. So where were you all day?"  
"I already told you."  
"Were you cutting class?"  
"Maybe. Not that it matters much if I'm there or not."  
Harry sighed. "Hermione would think differently."  
"I don't care anymore. She doesn't care about me, so why should I care about her? You're the lucky one. You have a girl friend who isn't a smart know it all who thinks she's better than the whole world."  
"Actually, I haven't talked to Cho since September."  
"You haven't?"  
"No. Every time I talk to her she runs away. I gave up trying a while ago."  
Ron shook his head. "Women... you know there's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend."  
"Are you going?" Harry asked  
"Probably. I want to talk to Fred and George. What about you?"  
"I dunno. Maybe."  
"You should go with me. That way we'll both have someone to talk to."  
"Yeah, maybe."

The next day before lunch, Harry waited in front of the Great Hall for Cho. He knew that she had Herbology right before lunch. He leaned against the wall and waited. Eventually she came up the stairs and into the castle. "Cho?" Harry said.  
"What?"  
"Can we talk?"  
"I guess so."  
"You're not going to run away this time?"  
She sighed. "No. What is it?"  
"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"  
"Umm... actually I don't think I can. I have this thing to do that day."  
"Fine." Harry walked into the Great Hall.  
"So that's it?" she asked  
"Yep."  
"That's all you wanted to say?"  
"Yeah. Usually when I try to talk to you, you run away. So I thought I'd make it short so that I could save you the trouble."  
She sighed loudly. "I hate boys." She headed for the Ravenclaw table.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked.  
"Nothing you would understand." Harry wanted to follow her, but instead he went to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Ron.  
"Sometimes I really want to hit her." Harry said  
"She'd probably throw a fit and tell someone. Then you'd get into trouble." Ron said  
"True."  
"Either that or she'd flip out and do some kind of kung-fu move on you. That's what Hermione did to me."  
"You hit her?"  
"It was more of a hard push. Do you want me to beat her up for you?"  
"No that's okay. If she ticks me off again I'll do it myself."


	25. Hogsmeade

That weekend, Harry and Ron were headed out of the castle to go to Hogsmeade, when Dumbledore stopped them. "Harry I need to speak with you."  
"Umm... okay."  
"And Mr. Weasley, I'll be speaking with you when you come back." Ron nodded and walked outside. "To my office." Dumbledore said.  
"I guess I'm not going to Hogsmeade then."  
"You might if we get done quickly. Now move along. I'll be there in a minute." A few minutes later, Harry was walking into Dumbledore's office. He stopped next to the mirror. _Maybe I could look in it real fast, before he gets up here._ He took a deep breath and stepped in front of the mirror. It took a while for something to appear. Harry saw all of his friends, being happy together. And in the background were his parents and Sirius -  
"What do you see?" Dumbledore said.  
Harry jumped. "Uhh... well it's kind of hard to explain."  
"Are your parents still there?" Harry nodded. "And Sirius?" Harry nodded again. "And a few others." Harry nodded.  
He pulled his eyes away from the mirror. "So what did you want to talk about?"  
"Remus is supposed to be here to talk to you, but I seem to be having trouble locating him." He went behind his desk. "Until then." He motioned for Harry to sit. "How has Occulmency been going?" Dumbledore asked.  
"Alright. Snape's not exactly the most pleasant person to be around."  
"And have you had anymore blue light dreams?"  
"A few."  
"You don't look like you've slept in a while."  
"It's weird... I wake up really early, like at 3 o'clock, but I can't ever get back to sleep."  
"Maybe you should see the nurse."  
"Maybe." They waited silently for a while. Harry knew there was no way he was getting to Hogsmeade now.  
"Well, I don't know where Remus has gone." He got up and went to a door behind him. "Wait here, in case he comes." But an hour and a half later, Remus still wasn't there. "You can leave now Harry. I don't know where he is. Sorry for wasting your day."  
"That's okay. Umm, do you think I can still get into Hogsmeade?"  
"Go down there and see if they'll let you. If not tell them you had a meeting with me."  
"Thanks." Harry ran down to the entrance to Hogsmeade.

They let him through without asking why he'd missed an hour and a half of the visit. He found Ron in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.  
"It's about time." Ron said  
"Remus was supposed to talk to me, but he never showed up."  
"Strange... well what do you want to do?"  
"How about a butterbeer?" The two of them walked over to the Three Broomsticks. Harry went up to buy, and when he turned back around Ron was gone. He could see Ron's hair outside. "What're you doing out here?" he asked.  
"Look." he pointed inside. Hermione was there, with some other boy. "She's replaced me."  
Harry handed him his butterbeer and pushed him away from the window. "Let's go. If I don't move you, you'll be staring all day."  
"She's replaced me."  
"Yeah I heard you."  
"But-"  
"Don't get too excited. It doesn't mean that she's completely over you yet." They wandered around Hogsmeade, drinking their butterbeers.  
"I have to get her back."  
"Ron..."  
"I have to... but how?"  
They walked past Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "You could ask Fred and George." Harry said. Ron stopped, dropped his butterbeer, and went running into the store. Harry tried to follow, but there were so many people in the store that he soon lost Ron. He decided to wait outside. A few minutes later, Ron came out.  
"They said to buy her something."  
"Hermione isn't like most other girls."  
"I don't care. I'm desperate. They said jewelry always works, but everything in that store is so expensive."  
"I'll buy it." Harry said.  
"No I couldn't ask you to do that."  
"You didn't ask. Pick something out and I'll pay for it." They went to the jewelry store. Harry got the usual gasps from the girls who worked there.  
"That's Harry Potter!"  
"What's he doing in here?"  
"Do you think he has a girlfriend?"  
"Harry." Ron said. "Do you think she'd like this one?" He had a gold heart shaped locket in his hand.  
"Go for it." Harry said. "How much is it?"  
"More than my broom." Harry looked at the price tag. It was 20 galleons.  
"Uhh..."  
"I'll just pick another one." Ron said. Harry looked at the girls that were giggling in the corner.  
"Hold on. I might be able to get it."  
"Harry there's no way that either of us have that much money." Harry nodded towards the girls. "It's not going to work."  
"Didn't you hear them whispering?"  
"Yeah but they'd never give it to you just because you're Harry Potter." Harry picked up the necklace and walked toward the girls.  
"Excuse me."  
"Yes?" One of the girls said.  
"I have a slight problem. See I want to get this for my friend, but all I have is 5 galleons."  
The girl took the necklace and looked at the price tag. "Oh. Well..."  
"I'll give you ten but that's really all I have."  
"Umm... hold on." The girls went into their corner and began talking rapidly. Harry looked back at Ron and nodded. Ron shook his head. The girls turned back around. "Okay you can have it for ten."  
"Thanks." Harry gave them the money, and handed Ron the necklace.  
"I don't believe it. Did you really have only ten galleons?"  
"No, I have more, but I want to buy other things today too."


	26. The Necklace

It was the day before Christmas break. Everyone was getting ready to go home, except for Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone to see Bill for Christmas, and even if they were home, Harry wouldn't be allowed to leave. The Order was so worried of an attack that Tonks and Dumbledore never let Harry out of their sight. Harry walked into his dormitory that afternoon and saw Ron sitting on his bed, with the gold necklace in his hand.  
"You didn't give it to her yet?" Harry asked,  
"I'm too afraid. I mean... what if she just looks at me funny and throws it in my face?" Ron said.  
"What if she takes it?"  
"What if she doesn't?"  
"Don't worry about it. Chances are that she'll take it even if she does look at you funny. Women are like that."  
Ron sighed. "Alright. I'll give it to her."  
"You better hurry. She's leaving in an hour." Ron stood up and then sat back down.  
"I can't do it."  
"Yes you can and you will." Harry grabbed his arm and dragged him to the common room. "Look there she it. Just go over there and give it to her." Ron nodded and walked toward Hermione. Harry decided that he really didn't want to see her reaction, so he went back into the dormitory. Neville was packing his trunk. "I'm surprised they let you go home. I can't go outside without being yelled at." Harry said.  
"Well I'm not the prime target." Neville said. "And besides, I live like right next to headquarters."  
"You do?"  
"Yeah, and I never knew it. They'll keep my house guarded twenty-four seven. And if someone does try to kill me, I have a little bit of a chance to guard myself now. Where were you taking Ron?" Neville asked  
"To talk to Hermione. It's so stupid that they fight all the time." Harry said.  
"Yeah. I kind of feel bad for him, because I was in the same type of situation last year. But it gets better."  
"With who?"  
Neville smiled. "Ginny. But I have a new girl to chase now." He grabbed a bag off of his bed and walked out the door. The covers of Semus's bed opened, and he looked out. Harry was shocked. Did he hear what they had said about the Order?  
"Geeze. Who would have thought Neville was such a party animal. And with Ginny Weasley too. The very friendly person of Gryffindor..."  
"What?"  
"She's been with almost every boy in Gryffindor. Except the first years, and Ron... and you. Don't know what she does with them though." Harry wanted to say something back, but instead he walked away. The very friendly person of Gryffindor? He went down into the common room and looked for Ron. Ron wasn't there, neither was Hermione. Must be a good sign, Harry thought. He spotted Ginny leaving the common room.  
"Ginny! Wait up!" Harry called. She stopped in the hallway and waited for him. "I was just talking to Semus -"  
"Let me guess. The 'very friendly person of Gryffindor' right?"  
"Yeah."  
"He's been saying that ever since I broke up with him. Just because I've dated a lot doesn't mean anything. All of the boys in Gryffindor are jerks, and Semus is the king of the jerks." She started walking away, and Harry followed her.  
"What do you mean we're all jerks?"  
"Most boys are. All they do is whine and complain about the girl. Like it's her fault."  
"You lost me."  
She sighed. "Harry... if you want to make it better then go kill Semus for me. If not then leave me alone."  
What? Harry thought. "Ginny?" he said, but she turned and walked away.

Harry didn't see Ron the rest of that day. They must have made up, Harry thought. Fred and George were right. Harry couldn't get Ginny to talk to him. I must be part of the boys that are jerks group now. Since he really didn't have anyone to talk to, Harry decided to walk around the school. Somehow he ended up by Dumbledore's office. He thought about going up there to beg Dumbledore to let him leave, but he knew that it was useless. He kept walking. Maybe I could go check on Hedwig, he thought. Harry heard the statue in front of the entrance to Dumbledore's office move. He turned around to see who it was, but no one was there.

That night, Harry came into his dormitory after saying good bye to his friends that were leaving. The sheets on Ron's bed were closed. He fell onto his own bed and looked at the ceiling. Okay, now what? he thought. Just then Ginny walked into the room. She went over toward Harry and leaned closer to him.  
"Did you hear what happened?" she whispered. Harry shook his head. She pulled him up and pointed next to Ron's bed. The locket was lying on the floor, its chain had been broken in two places. Ginny pulled him out of the room and closed the door. "She broke it and threw it back at him. I take back what I said about Ron being a jerk. Now Hermione's the one being a jerk."  
Harry sighed. "Have you talked to him?"  
"No, no one has. He's been in there for almost two hours now."  
"Two hours? I told him to give the necklace to her in the morning."  
"Well apparently he didn't until dinner. Right in the middle of the great hall too. Malfoy's going to have a field day when he comes back."  
"If he does I'll kill him." Harry said. "I've needed a reason to kill him."  
Ginny laughed. "Well I'd help, but that would get me into too much trouble. I have limits on how much I can torture a person, unlike my brothers. See if you can talk to him." she said, and then she walked down the hall and into the girl's dormatories. Harry went back into the room and walked to Ron's bed. He felt like he should try to talk to Ron, but he knew that Ron probably didn't want to be bothered. He went to the common room instead.

"Hi Harry." Mark said. Harry was lying on a couch in the common room, looking up at the ceiling.  
"What're you doing here?" Harry asked  
"I couldn't go home."  
"Why?"  
"Dunno. Dumbledore just told me I couldn't."  
"Oh."  
"There was some guy walking around looking for you. He didn't look like a student." Mark said  
"What did he look like?"   
"Kinda tall... looks like a professor but I've never seen him here before."  
Remus, Harry thought. "He was a professor a few years ago." But why is he looking for me?  
"You know him then?" Mark asked  
"Yeah."  
"Oh. That's good. Why is he looking for you?"  
"Dunno."  
"So why aren't you going home, Harry?"  
"I can't. They're afraid I'll die. Like I can't protect myself." Harry said.  
"Yeah, you'd think they'd let you leave. You've protected yourself before."  
"Exactly. They're paranoid. They want to protect me in case I get attacked."  
"Well if there are a bunch of death eaters, then you might need some help." Mark said. Harry sighed and got up. He walked into the hall and looked around. Maybe I can find Remus and see what he wants, Harry thought. Well the most likely place is in Dumbledore's office. Harry went up the hall that led to the entrance to Dumbledore's office. But when he tried the password, it didn't work. Dumbledore had changed the password.  
"Great." Harry said. He tried a few words, but they didn't work either. Harry sighed and swore at the statue.  
"Swearing won't get you anywhere." said a picture of an old looking wizard.  
"Shut up." Harry walked back down the hall. He didn't know where else to look. I should probably stay in the common room, it's easier to look for someone if they stay in one place, he thought. Harry climbed through the portrait hole and went straight up to his dormitory. The sheets of Ron's bed were still closed. "Ron?" Harry said. "Hello?"  
"What?" Ron said.  
"You can't stay in there forever."  
"Yes I can."  
"No you can't."  
"Shut up." Ron said. "You're lucky that my wand's out there. I'm about ready to kill you."  
"Why? What did I do?"  
Ron sighed. "Nothing."  
"Ron?" Harry said, but Ron didn't respond. My day is getting better by the second, Harry thought.


	27. The Dream

"...Harry..." Harry opened his eyes and sat up. He was in the common room, except it didn't look like the common room. He stood up and looked around the room. Who was calling him? "Harry..." Who was that? The sound was coming from up by the entrance to the dormatories. He walked toward the stairs. "No... Harry... the blue light..." Harry stopped.  
"What blue light?" He asked, but the voice didn't answer. "Hello? What blue light?" The voice still didn't respond. Harry started walking up the stairs to the dormatories. They seemed longer than usual. It seemed to be taking him forever to get up them. Harry almost turned around and went back down, when the voice spoke again.  
"Harry! Don't go up there." It came from down in the common room this time.  
"Why not?" Harry asked.  
"The lights... stay away from the lights."   
"What lights?" Harry asked, but the voice was silent. "What is going on?" Harry started going back up the stairs. He could hear something up there, something that was breathing very hard. It was pounding on one of the dormitory doors. Harry finally reached the top of the stairs. The door to the boy's dormatories was open. He started walking down the hall when he heard someone scream. He couldn't tell who it was, but someone was defiantly in trouble. Harry walked faster until he came to another door that was open. It took him a minute to realize that it was the door of his dormitory. Now he knew who had been screaming. There was only one other Gryffindor boy in the castle. Harry was afraid to look, but he knew he had to - Ron needed help. He held his wand tightly and stepped into the room. There were five, no six, vengeance deamons around Ron's bed. All Harry could see of the actual bed was the sheets, which were torn to shreds. Three of the deamons turned around and looked at Harry. Harry stared at them and slowly backed up. They pushed him into a corner, and one crouched down, ready to pounce on him...

Harry woke up screaming and covered in sweat. He was on a couch in the common room. He jumped up and ran to his dormitory. He pulled open the sheets of Ron's bed. Ron was lying there, sound asleep. Harry took a deep breath and walked back to the common room. It was a dream, he told himself. Just a dream... a stupid dream. Harry sat back down on the couch and tried to make his heart stop beating so fast.  
"Harry?" Ginny asked. He jumped. "Sorry. Are you alright?"  
"Yeah."  
"You screamed. Very loudly."  
"It was a dream."  
"Oh..."  
"A very freaky dream."  
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked  
"I don't think I could."  
"It must have been pretty bad to freak you out this much."  
"It was." Harry said.  
"Geeze... and on Christmas Eve too."  
"It's Christmas Eve?"  
"Yeah Harry it's been Christmas Eve all night. Actually now it would be Christmas Day. It's four AM." Harry sighed and lied back down. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes I'm great."  
"Was that sarcastic?"  
"Maybe." Ginny sighed dramatically and went back upstairs. Harry closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

The next morning, Harry was sitting on the same couch, watching Ron open his presents. After a while, Ginny and Marc came down and started opening there's. "Where are yours, Harry?" Marc asked.  
"I didn't get any."  
"None at all?" Ginny said.  
"Do you see any?" Harry snapped. Ginny stayed quiet and finished with her presents. The common room door opened, and Remus Lupin stepped in.  
"Hello." he said. Everyone else said hi. Remus sat between Harry and Marc. "Wow... it's been a long time since I've been in here." He turned to Marc. "I don't think I've met you before."  
"Marc Evans." Marc said  
"I'm Remus Lupin." Remus watched them opening their presents. "Didn't you get any Harry?" he asked.  
"No."  
"Well you did get one. I gave it to you a while ago. Actually, Tonks gave it to you for me."  
"The diary?"  
"Yes. And it's not a diary. Apparently you haven't used it yet, or you'd know it's more than just a little black book. Why don't you go get it? I'll show you what it's for."  
"Alright." Harry got up and went upstairs. He was digging through his trunk when Remus came in.  
"Well this place hasn't changed much, has it? Then again it's only been about thirty years. So where's that book?" Harry found it in the very bottom of his trunk. He handed it to Remus, who handed it back. "Write in it."  
Harry pulled out a quill and ink, but he didn't really know what to write. "What should I write?"  
"Say hello." Remus said. Harry was confused, but he wrote 'hello' on the first page. It faded into the book.  
'What's the password?' faded in. "It's an answering book." Harry said.  
"Yes, it is. You didn't think I'd give you an ordinary book, did you? You'd better tell them the password before they get mad."  
Harry was confused. "What password?" he asked.  
"You know it already. You have to know it to use the map."  
"The Marauder's Map?"  
"Yes."  
"So this is the Marauder's answering book?"  
"In a way." Remus said. Harry wrote 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' It faded away.  
'Thank you. Who are you?' faded back in.  
'Harry.'  
'Harry who?'  
'Harry Potter'  
'I see...'  
"You're confusing them. I haven't updated it in a while. Well, actually, we did update it to take Peter out, but that was back when you were just a baby." Remus said. "Ask who it is. Usually there is only one of them at a time. And you almost never get me. Usually it's James or Sirius."  
"Sirius..." Harry said. He could talk to Sirius? "This is weird..." He wrote 'Who are you?'  
'Prongs.'  
"This is really weird." Harry said.  
"I know. It gets very interesting when I get myself. You're lucky we updated it. They used to get extremely impatient if you didn't respond right away." Remus said.  
Harry shook his head. "Does he know..."  
"That he's dead? No, and neither does Sirius. You'll have to update it."  
"How?"  
"Just get the right person and tell them what happened. Here, I'll do James for you." Remus took the book and started writing in it. "Oh my."  
"What?"  
"Sirius likes to jump into other people's conversations. He just did." Harry smiled. "Why don't we go back downstairs? You can talk to Prongs while I talk to your friend Marc." Harry followed Remus downstairs. Remus handed him the book on the way downstairs. Harry stopped and looked at the book for a minute. He shook his head and went back into the common room.  
"Marc, what did you say your last name was?" Remus was saying.  
"Evans."  
"hmm... are you related to a Lily Evans?" Harry snapped his head up to look at Remus.  
"I dunno. Maybe."  
"Could you ask for me?"  
"I guess. Who's Lily Evans?" Marc asked.  
"My mother." Harry said. Remus nodded.  
"Oh... I'll ask the next time I write home." Marc said.  
"You do that." Remus said. "I should be going. See you all later. Have fun with that book, Harry." He stood up, took one last look around, and left.

The rest of the Christmas vacation was the same as the first few days had been. Harry didn't let the answering book get to far away from him, even though he never wrote in it. It was too weird to be talking to someone that was dead, but he still kept it near him, incase he changed his mind. Hermione came back two days before classes began. Harry was sitting in the common room with the answering book, and thinking about actually writing in it, when she came in. "Hi Harry."  
"Hey."  
"What's that?" she said, pointing to the answering book.  
"A Christmas present."  
"Oh... I'm sorry I didn't send you one. The owl I was going to use was injured."  
"It's alright. No one else bothered either... except Remus." Harry said.  
"I'll buy you something at the next Hogsmeade trip."  
"You don't have to."  
"Yeah I do. I haven't been a very good friend to you."  
"You're not the only one." Harry mumbled.  
"I know. Did Ron do anything over the break?"  
"Not that I noticed."  
"That's what I thought. I should take my stuff upstairs." she got up and floated her trunk upstairs. Suddenly, Ginny came running into the common room and ran upstairs. A few minutes later Hermione came back down. "Did you see what was wrong with Ginny?" she asked.  
"No."  
"She went running into the boy's dormatories, and it looked like she was crying."  
"The boy's dormatories?"  
"Yeah. We should probably check on her."  
"Alright." Harry held the answering book close to him and followed her upstairs. It wasn't hard to find Ginny, but when they did she told them to leave her alone and ran away. Harry chased after her. She got all the way to the great hall before he caught her.  
"Stop it! Go away!" she streaked. Ginny pulled away from him and ran outside. Harry was too out of breath to follow her, but she wasn't hard to find. There were at least two feet of snow on the ground. Her footprints led to the quidditch pitch and into the stands. Harry found her under the bleachers in a shadowed corner. "Why are you chasing me?" she asked.  
"I just want to know what's wrong."  
"Nothing. I'm fine."  
"Hermione said you were crying."  
"So?"  
"What's wrong?" he asked again. She stood up and came out of the shadow. She looked like she'd been beaten up by someone much larger than her. "Who hurt you?"  
"You know, that friend of yours. The tall one with the red hair."  
"Ron?"  
"Yeah that's it."  
"But...why?"  
"Like I would know." she said. Harry reached out and pulled her into the light so that he could see her better.  
"You should go to the hospital wing." he said.  
"Umm how about no. I'm not going back in there as long as he's in there."  
"You can't stay out here. You'll freeze."  
"I'd rather freeze."  
"Ginny... I won't let him hurt you. Now let's go." He tried to pull her back to the castle, but she pulled herself free. "Fine then." Harry started walking back inside, leaving her behind. In about ten seconds, she ran up beside him and stayed very close. They walked up to the hospital wing, and Harry waited until the nurse was done bandaging Ginny. Then they walked back to the common room. Ginny acted like she didn't want to go into the common room, but she also didn't want to be alone, so she followed Harry through the portrait hole. Hermione's jaw dropped when she saw Ginny.  
"Oh my... what happened?" she asked.  
"Ron beat her up." Harry said.  
Her jaw dropped again. "Oh... that..." she sighed loudly. "I swear I'm going to kill him."  
"You'd be thrown in Azkaban."  
"Yeah well as long as he can't hurt anyone else. I didn't think he was capable of hurting anyone, but now that he's hurt at least two people..."  
"Wait." Harry said. "Two people?"  
"Who else has he hurt?" Ginny asked.  
"Well..."  
"Hermione?" Harry said  
"Alright. It was me." Now Harry's jaw dropped.  
"He... why didn't you ever tell me?"  
"He said if I told anyone then he'd hurt me worse. And after a while I started believing him. That's why I didn't talk to you all summer."  
"This is getting out of control." Harry said. Ginny moved closer to Harry. Ron had just come into the common room. "Come on." Harry said. They followed him up into his dormitory. When they got in there, Semus was sitting on his bed. He noticed the bandages on Ginny and jumped up.  
"What happened?" he asked  
"Ron beat her up." Harry explained.  
"Where is he? I'll kill him."  
"No you won't." Harry said "You'll stay up here and watch these two while I go kill him." Semus looked disappointed,  
"Harry, don't do anything stupid." Hermione said  
"Define stupid." Harry said on his way out.  
"Don't hurt him too bad." Semus said "Leave something for me to kill." Harry walked back down into the common room and looked around for Ron. He saw him, but then lost him again in a group of first years. Harry saw the portrait swing open and Ron running out, but by the time Harry got through the first years, he was gone.


	28. Dumbledore's Thoughts

The night of the last day of Christmas break, Harry was sitting in the common room with Ginny and Hermione. "So you didn't kill him?" Ginny asked  
"Nope."  
"Too bad."  
"Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked.  
"Yeah I'm fine." Harry said. He was getting sick of hearing people ask him that. Ginny touched his face and pulled his head around so that they were face to face.  
"She's right. You do look sick."  
"Trust me. I'm fine."  
"You'd better be. We're only three games away from the quidditch finals. The last thing we need is a sick seeker."  
"When is the next match?" Hermione asked  
"The last weekend in February... or the first weekend in March... I dunno I haven't exactly talked to our captain." Ginny said  
"Slytherin verses Ravenclaw is this weekend, us verses Hufflepuff two weekends from now, Slytherin verses Hufflepuff the weekend after that, us verses Ravenclaw the first weekend of March, Slytherin verses Ravenclaw two weeks after that, us verses Ravenclaw three weeks after that, and the winners of those last two matches go to the finals on the next to last weekend of April." Harry said  
"Wow." Ginny said "You actually listen to him when he talks."  
"Every so often."  
"So the next match is..." Hermione said  
"The weekend after next weekend. Why?"  
"I might want to come." she said. Marc came up to Harry.  
"Sorry to interrupt" he said "but Professor McGonagall wants to see you. She's waiting outside the common room."  
"Thanks." Harry said. He got up and went out into the hallway.  
"The headmaster wants to speak with you." the professor said. "I'll let you into his office." Harry followed her to the entrance of Dumbledore's office. "Prickly Pear." she said, and the statue moved out of the way. "Get going."  
"Thanks." Right as Harry was going through the office door, Snape went walking past him. Oh great, Harry thought. He already knew what Dumbledore wanted to talk about. Harry hadn't been going to Occulmency for a while now. (Which probably explained why he kept having that dream.)  
"Harry." Dumbledore said. "Please sit down." Harry sat. "I just had a very interesting conversation with Professor Snape."  
"Yes I have been intentionally skipping Occulmency." Harry said.  
"I know that, and I don't blame you. I would skip it too. But you must understand, Harry. You have to go or else we could have a problem like we did last year."  
"Too late." Harry said. Dumbledore acted like he hadn't heard him.  
"And I've also talked with Professor McGonagall. Mr. Weasley has been complaining about your attendance at quidditch practices."  
"I've been intentionally skipping those too."  
"I see." Dumbledore said. "Is there a reason?"  
"For which one?"  
"Both of them."  
"I'm not sure you really want to hear that."  
"I probably don't, but I need to know."  
"Snape is a stupid git that hasn't taught me anything in potions or occulmency, and Ron has been randomly beating people up." Harry said quickly.  
"I see." They were both quiet for a while.  
"Is that all?" Harry said  
"No." Dumbledore said. "I've also talked with Remus. He told me that you looked ill, and that you appeared distant and unwilling to talk."  
"So?"  
"I see." Dumbledore said. If he says I see one more time, Harry thought. "One last thing. I noticed that some of your grades are dropping. Your sixth year is the second most important year, after the seventh. It would be wise to bring them up. You can go now." 

"What did Dumbledore want?" Hermione asked. It was now the second week after Christmas break, and Harry had been telling her about what had happened two weeks before while they were sitting in the great hall.  
"I wasn't really listening. He was just yelling at me for not going to practices and all that."  
"You haven't been going to quidditch?"  
"Nope."  
"Why not?"  
"Would you like to spend an hour and a half with Ron?"  
"Good point. But that can't be all that he had to say. If quidditch was a problem then McGonagall would have talked to you." she said  
"Something that Snape was complaining about, and something that Remus said, and something about my grades..."  
"What's wrong with your grades?" she asked. Harry shrugged. "Haven't you been doing well?"  
"Not according to him."  
"Harry..." she paused. "Oh, never mind."  
"What?"  
"It's nothing." She got up and walked out of the great hall. Harry followed her.  
"What is it?" he asked.  
She sighed. "You won't get mad?"  
"I won't. What is it?"  
"I've been noticing that you've been a little... detached... from everything."  
"You sound like Dumbledore."  
"Why is it that you hate him all of a sudden?" she asked. "He used to be like... your hero or something." Harry could feel himself getting mad, but he had said that he wouldn't. How would you feel if he told you that you have to kill or be killed, he thought.   
"He told me something... that really ticked me off."  
"Oh..."  
"Something that he should have told me a while ago."  
"Oh... well... I have to go." Hermione started walking down the hall. Okay, Harry thought. If you're so interested then why don't you want to listen?

It had been a month and a week since the talk with Dumbledore (It's the last week of February, if you're confused). Harry was walking toward the main exit, on his way to herbology, when someone grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a room. Harry pulled himself free, and looked over at Cho.  
"What was that for?" he asked  
"I need to ask you something."  
"And you had to scare me half to death?"  
"Sorry... I was wondering... umm... well the last Hogsmeade trip is in three and a half weeks... and well... if you wanted to... would you want to go with me?"  
Yes, yes, yes! Harry screamed in his head. "I guess so."  
"Okay... well I'll see you then." She ran out of the room and down the hall. Strange, Harry thought. Just then the bell rang. Oh goodie now I'm late. Harry hurried out side into the cold. His eyes went toward Hagrid's hut. He could hear Fang barking inside. Harry realized that he hadn't talked to Hagrid all year. Maybe I'll go after herbology, he thought. That is, if I don't get detention for being late.

Harry walked out of herbology (which he hadn't been late for, because Professor Sprout had come in about five minutes after him) and headed for Hagrid's hut. He knocked on the door, and Fang started barking again. He could hear Hagrid pushing Fang away from the door. "Who is it?" Hagrid asked  
"Me." Harry said  
"Me who?" Hagrid pulled open the door and saw Harry. "Oh. Com' on in." Harry went in and sat down, while Hagrid tried to make Fang shut up. "Been a long time since I've seen you."   
"Yeah I know. Everything's just been very... messed up."  
"How's things been goin' with Ron?" Hagrid asked  
"You know about that?"  
"Hermione comes down here almos' every day. O' course I know."  
"She does?"  
"Well she don't have many other people ta talk to. At leas' she can talk ta me without Ron threatening ta kill me."  
"True." Harry said  
"So what's on yer mind?" Hagrid asked, as he got up to make tea.  
"Everything's been going wrong."  
"Everythin'?"  
"Yes everything."  
"Like what?"  
"Why is Ron acting like he is? It's not like that's normal."  
"No it's not." Hagrid said.  
"He's been asking me for help... but I haven't done anything." Harry realized what he had just said. "I never helped him. My best friend is in trouble and I haven't done anything." Hagrid wasn't saying anything. Harry set his head on the table. Why haven't I done anything... why don't I care? "This is a problem."  
"Yep." Hagrid said. "An' accordin' to Hermione, it's been a problem for a while."  
"What's wrong with me?"  
"After what happen' to ya last year, I wouldn't blame ya." Harry nodded. Someone knocked at the door, and Hagrid got up to answer it.  
"Hi Hagrid." Hermione said. She noticed Harry at the table. "Oh... sorry I didn't know there was someone here."  
"Why don't ya both stay?" Hagrid said "I got pleanty o' time to talk ta both of ya."  
"No I should get going." Harry said. He got up and went to the door. "Bye"

Harry spent the next three weeks catching up with everything that he had missed. Thinking about how he hadn't helped Ron made him think about everything else that he hadn't been doing. He checked with his professors, and found out that he really wasn't failing all of his classes, just transfiguration. He rejoined the DA, which hadn't been doing very well without him, and started to work with Neville again. Gryffindor was only one match away from the finals. All they had to do was beat Hufflepuff, and then it was Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw in the final. Apparently Slytherin hadn't had a good year.  
Two weeks before the Hogsmeade trip, Harry was in the common room, begging Hermione for help with his transfiguration homework.  
"Harry, I'm really busy."  
"Can't you just help me with one question?"  
"Maybe later."  
"But its due in ten minutes!"  
"Well you should have thought about that last night."  
"I was busy helping Ron last night."  
"You know what Harry? Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it!" She grabbed her books and stormed up to her dormitory.  
"Geeze." Ginny said.  
"Guess I'll be making up answers again. Here comes another D on homework."  
"Why don't you try reading the book?" Ginny asked  
"I did. It made no sense. I don't even think Hermione could understand it."  
"Well, I'd love to help you, but I'm no good in transfiguration." Just then an owl came zooming through the window and almost hit Ginny. "Woah! Geeze! Hold still, you stupid... there. Go home you stupid owl."  
"Who's it from?" Harry asked  
"My mum. Or someone else who is currently at the burrow. That's the new owl they bought to replace Eerol." She opened up her letter. "Hmm... I have a present waiting for me in Hogsmeade. Wonder what it is..." She got up and closed the window. "At the pet shop... that's weird."  
"How's it weird?" Harry asked as he scribbled down answers.  
"That would mean I'm actually getting something that didn't belong to one of my brothers."


	29. Answers

Chapter 29: Answers

"Hermione?" Harry asked  
"What?"  
"Can I talk to you?"  
"Apparently." They were in the great hall on Thursday morning.  
"We need to do something." Harry said.  
"About what?"  
"About Ron."  
"Well," she said "what do you suggest we do?"  
"I dunno. Something."  
"There's not much we can do."  
"Wouldn't there be something in the library? Like a medical book or something?"  
"Most likely."  
"If we could find out what's wrong... well it'd be a start."  
"True." she said "but neither of us have the time."  
"I do."  
"No you don't. You need to pass transfiguration."  
"Sorry if I think Ron's more important than changing a chair to a bird." Harry said  
"Alright. Well... we could go there tonight."  
"I have quidditch. But I could look today when I'm in the library."  
"Alright, you look today and I'll see if I can find anything else."

During his study period, Harry spent most of his time searching for anything that could have to do with the way Ron was acting. He didn't find much. Too bad I can't get into the restricted section, he thought. "Watchya doin'?" Ginny asked  
"Looking up anything that could have to do with Ron."  
"Oh... well, you're wasting you're time. There aren't many books about that."  
"I might find one."  
"I know there is only one. And it's in the restricted section. I know because I read it four years ago."  
"How'd you get a book out of the restricted section?"  
"I didn't. Fred got it for me. I was only a first year Harry. They hadn't trained me yet."  
"Do you still have it?"  
"No, but I remember every word of it."  
"So you know what's wrong with him?" Harry asked. She nodded. "What is it?"  
"He's being possessed." she whispered  
"By who?"  
"Take a guess Harry."  
"But why would Voldemort possess Ron? Why not me?" he asked.  
"He's making you weak. He plans to break down your mind and then get Ron to lead you to him."  
"You've been thinking about this for a while haven't you?"  
"Yep."  
"Well then I guess I'm done with my search." Harry put back the book he had been using, and Ginny handed him one on transfiguration. "You're becoming more like Hermione every day." She smiled and walked back to the main part of the library.


	30. Hogsmeade and Another Fight

The morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry received a letter from Cho, telling him to meet her in Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop at noon. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny left the castle after breakfast and passed the time until noon in Fred and George's shop.  
"What time is it?" Harry asked Fred.  
"Eleven. Why? You got a date?"  
"Actually, I do." Fred turned around and looked at George.  
"With who?" George asked.  
"Cho."  
"Cho Chang?" Fred asked  
"Yeah."  
"Oh I remember her." Fred said "At least you got a relatively good looking one."  
"Excuse me?" Hermione said  
"Hey you gotta get them before the other guys do." George said  
Hermione sighed. "Boys." She turned to Ginny. "Don't you have anything to say about that?"  
"I have six brothers, Hermione. I've learned to ignore it." Ginny said. "Actually, sometimes I don't even realize that they said anything."  
"Well when you have brothers like Percy and Ron..." Harry said. Fred and George laughed and went to help some customers. 

At noon, Harry and Ginny left the store. Harry headed toward Madame Puddifoot's, and Ginny went toward the pet store to pick up her present. Harry could see Cho inside the shop, but as Harry got closer, he realized that she wasn't alone. Roger Davies was sitting with her. And he was holding her hand. And he was leaning toward her to... Harry turned away. Why did she want to meet with me if she's with him? Harry thought. Just walk away, don't cause a scene. But Harry didn't listen to himself. He walked into Madame Puddifoot's and stood next to their table.  
"What do you want?" Roger said  
"I'd like to know why Cho's here with you when she asked me to meet her here." Harry responded.  
"Maybe because she doesn't like you?"  
"Boys! Stop." Cho said. "Harry, sit down. I'll explain..."  
"Umm howabout no? It's too late to explain. I already know. If you wanted me to leave you alone, all you had to do was say so." Harry said. He walked quickly out of the store and headed back toward the castle.  
As he was going into Hogwarts, he could hear Ginny calling from behind him. "Harry! Harry wait!" He didn't wait. He went up to his dormitory and slammed the door in her face.

"Harry? Come on you can't stay in there forever." Hermione said. Harry had kept himself locked in his dormitory for the rest of the afternoon. "Come out and we'll talk about it."  
"I'd rather not." Harry said  
"Would you like me to kill her?" Ginny said  
"No. I'd like you to leave me alone."  
"Fine whatever." Ginny said "We'll be down in the common room if you need us." Harry listened to them walking away, and then got up and followed them. "That didn't take too long." Ginny said to Hermione. The three of them sat in silence.  
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked  
"Yes I'm fine." Harry said. He knew he wasn't going to be able to talk to them. But there was someone that he could talk to. Harry got up and went back upstairs to get his answering book. After searching for a while, he couldn't find it. It wasn't in any obvious place. He checked under and around his bed, and in his trunk, but it wasn't in any of those places either. He went back to the common room. "Have either of you seen my answering book?" he asked the girls.  
"Nope." Ginny said  
"Answering book?" Hermione said  
"Yeah." Harry said  
"No I haven't seen any answering books." Hermione said. Harry sighed and went back upstairs.  
"Where'd you see it last?" Ginny asked  
"If I knew that I wouldn't be looking for it." Harry snapped.  
"Alright. Geeze..."  
"Wait." Harry said "I had it with my school stuff. I had it with me when I went to potions yesterday."  
"You didn't have it at dinner. I would've remembered that." Hermione said.  
"So it's somewhere between potions and the great hall..."  
"Did you take it out of potions?" Ginny asked  
"Yeah... wait... I dunno." Harry said. He sighed. "I can't remember what I ate for breakfast. You think I can remember that? And it was potions too. I don't care what I bring out with me, as long as I get out."  
"Maybe Snape found it." Hermione said  
"Which completely takes away any chance I have of getting it back."  
"Well... you never know..."  
"Hermione it's a marauder's answering book. Written by my dad, Sirius, and Remus. Snape hates them. He'd rather burn it than return it to me."  
"So that's who the marauders are." Ginny whispered  
"What about Peter?" Hermione said  
"They deleted him after what he did to Sirius."  
"Peter who?" Ginny asked  
"Peter Pettigrew." Hermione answered  
"He's dead."  
"No actually he's not." Harry said  
"But..." Harry sighed.  
"Harry she doesn't know. She wasn't there." Hermione said  
"Remember Scabbers? That's Peter. He faked his own death and ran away as a rat. He lived with your family until Sirius saw him and broke into Hogwarts to kill him. He wasn't trying to kill me, he was trying to kill Peter. But it didn't work and he escaped, and that's the reason all hell has been braking lose ever since." Harry said quickly and loudly. He pushed past the girls and headed for Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was the only person who could make Snape give it back. But he went the wrong way and ended up on the 7th floor. He just wanted to be alone, and to get his book back. Suddenly the room of requirement popped up, and Harry went inside.

"You do know we're in the quidditch final?" Ginny said. Harry had gone back to the common room the next day.  
"So?"  
"So you need to practice or Cho will catch the snitch before you." Harry must have looked surprised, because Ginny said "You didn't know it was against Ravenclaw?"  
"No Ginny I didn't."  
"What's your problem? You're not normally like this."  
"That shows how much you know." She sighed dramatically. "Cry a river, build a bridge, then do us all a favor and jump off it." Ginny stood up and slapped Harry across the face. He touched where her hand had hit and stood up. She started walking away. "You better be glad you're a girl."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she said.  
"I don't beat up girls."  
"Why? You don't think we can take it? Oh that's right! You hang out with girls like Cho, who have a hissy fit when they break a nail. Well I'm not like that Harry. Go ahead. Try to hurt me." Harry sighed and walked past her. "Oh now who's being the girl?" she yelled. Harry turned around. He'd had enough of her. He was actually considering punching her brains out, when Hermione stepped between them.  
"That's enough. Stop it. Both of you." Hermione said.  
"Hermione, move. Now." Harry said.  
"No I'm not moving."  
"Have it your way." He pushed her out of the way. She fell sideways onto a table and didn't get up. But Harry didn't notice, because he was too busy giving Ginny the worst beating she'd ever had. A few boys pulled them apart. Semus grabbed Harry and pinned him against the wall.  
"Have you gone mad?" Semus asked. Harry pushed Semus off of him and ran up to his dormitory.


	31. The Quidditch Final

The Gryffindor quidditch team was in the locker room, changing for the final match. Harry and Ginny hadn't even looked at each other since the fight, but from what Harry had heard he had hurt her pretty bad. She had hurt him too: he had a sprained wrist and a few bruised ribs, not to mention a lot of burses on his face and chest. He didn't go to the nurse, because he knew she wouldn't let him play in the final. Harry heard Ginny walk over to the little meeting Ron was having, and he followed. He stole a quick glance at Ginny. She had a badly bruised eye that was so swollen it was almost shut. Apparently she hadn't gone to the nurse either.  
"Harry?" Ron said  
"What?"  
"Did you hear what I just said?"  
"No I didn't."  
"That's nice. It was directed at you. Pay attention. I was saying that we need to have over 200 points before you catch the snitch. Ravenclaw has a lot of points. And by a lot I mean over 200. If that little girlfriend of yours catches the snitch first, we're done for."  
"She's not my girlfriend." Harry muttered.  
"Her captain is telling her to catch the snitch as soon as possible. You have to distract her until we get over 200 points."  
"Okay."  
"Harry I don't think you understand what I'm saying to you. If we win this year we'll have the second longest number on consecutive quidditch cup wins in Hogwarts history. And if we win next year, we'll have the longest. We will have passed up your dad's team."  
"Oh really? Did Hermione tell you that, or did you read it in Hogwarts: A History?" Harry asked. Ginny laughed.  
"And you'll have the most consecutive snitch catches ever." Ron said. "Two records. Three if you count that you were the youngest seeker in a century. You might want to think about that." Just then they were called out to the pitch. "Let's go." Ron said.  
The Gryffindor team headed to the pitch. Harry thought about what Ron had told him. Three records? That doesn't sound right, he thought. Then again he probably knows more than I do. The team waited in front of the gate until they were announced.  
"Harry." Ginny said. "Don't be afraid to get rough with her."  
"Who?"  
"The Ravenclaw seeker. Cho? Remember her?"  
Harry pretended to be confused. "Hmm... nope never heard of her."  
"Just catch the dang snitch first, okay?"  
"No problem." The Gryffindor team was announced, and they all flew up into the air. The crowd was so loud that it was hard to hear Tonks, who was the referee. Eventually the whistle was blown and the quaffle was thrown up. Harry got up as high as he could so that he could find Cho. She was looking for the snitch already. She dove for the snitch, which was near the Ravenclaw bench. Harry followed and hit into her, making her lose control and flip over. By the time she had gotten control again, the snitch was gone. She growled and flew up above everyone. Harry was slightly amazed. He'd never heard a girl make that noise.   
"Harry look out!" Harry turned just in time to see a bludger zoom past his head. "Sorry I missed."  
"It's alright." Harry said as he followed Cho. She went up and stopped, so Harry relaxed a little and watched the game. The chasers were being brutal. They constantly bumped into each other and fought over the quaffle. Harry saw a blue and yellow streak go flying past him. He made a mental note to pay attention and followed Cho toward the Gryffindor goals. She was flying very fast. Come on, Harry thought to his Firebolt. Faster, I need to go faster! He managed to hit into her again. She went spinning in circles. Harry watched the snitch fly to the other side of the pitch. Cho tried to follow it, but she couldn't find it. She flew up higher, and Harry followed. He flew above the Gryffindor goals and waited. Ron glanced up at him.  
"Keep her busy." Ron yelled. "We already have 130 points. It won't be too much longer. Their keeper sucks."  
Harry nodded and flew closer to Cho. He watched the Gryffindor chasers score over and over again. 140, 150, 160, 170, 180. Come on! Harry thought. Two more. Let's get this over with. 190, 200, 210, 220. Just as Ginny scored, Harry spotted the snitch and flew after it. He had a pretty good head start on Cho, but she was close behind. The chasers kept scoring. They were going so fast that the points were get close to 300. He could almost hear Ron's thoughts. Catch the dang thing already! Harry reached out for the snitch, but then something hit the back of his broom. The Firebolt flipped over, throwing Harry off completely. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he fell. Cho caught the snitch. Harry couldn't believe it. He'd lost. His record was broken. Gryffindor had just lost, which killed another record. He was glad he couldn't see Ron's face.  
"Cho Chang has caught the snitch!" the announcer screamed, and the Ravenclaw fans went wild. That was the last thing Harry heard before he hit the ground.


	32. Dissappearance

"Quite a nasty fall."  
"Yes, from at least 70 feet up."  
"It's a wonder he's not dead. Fell right on his neck."  
"Yes. He's very lucky."  
Harry had been listening to these voices for a while, but he didn't have enough energy to open his eyes and see who they were. He couldn't remember what had happened, but it wasn't sounding good.  
"He certainly is an injury magnet. I see him in here at least twice a year with some kind of contusion."  
"Yes, yes. Well I think it's best if we leave him alone now."  
"I should let his friends in, but they won't understand."  
"They've seen him injured hundreds of times. What makes this time any different?"  
"Well, I'll just tell them to come back later. Let him rest for a bit."  
The voices went away, and Harry was left alone. A fall from at least 70 feet up? Where could he have been when that happened? He tried to remember, but it hurt his head too much. He tried to push it out of his mind, but that didn't work either. Why would he have been 70 feet above the ground? Maybe he had jumped off of something... no that didn't make sense... Quidditch! Of course! That's the only time when he would have been up that high. Then everything that had happened started coming back... he had been bucked off of his broom right before he caught the snitch... Cho had caught the snitch... they'd lost... he'd lost. Then he remembered what the one voice had said. His friends wanted to come see him. It was probably Ron, wanting to strangle him. Harry didn't blame him. I'd want to strangle me too, he thought. Harry lied there for a little longer, and then he decided that he needed to get up. He couldn't lie there forever. After a few tries, Harry managed to force his eyes open. Everything was very blurry, partly because he didn't have his glasses on, and partly because of the pain in the back of his neck. He heard someone coming. The curtain flew up and Ginny stepped through.  
"Geeze... they act like a funeral's going on. And all I wanted to do was come make sure you were alive." she said.  
"I'm alive." Harry said. "I feel like I'm dead... but I'm still breathing."  
"Yes. Well Hermione was so frantic that I told her I'd come see if you're alive. And you are, so she can stop freaking out."  
"How bad did we lose?" Harry asked  
"Lose?"  
"The quidditch match. How bad did we lose?" he asked again  
"We didn't."  
"What? But I missed the snitch..."  
"Yes, but Cho grabbed onto the back of your broom to flip you off. Blagging: that's a foul. And you falling caused a Ravenclaw chaser to swerve and touch the snitch, which is another foul. Only the seeker is allowed to touch the snitch. That chaser hit the keeper right as I scored. They fouled them for that too because the keeper was inside the goal. So really, after they subtracted all of those points, we won."  
Harry wasn't really sure how to respond to that, but knowing that they won made him feel a little better. "Okay then... did someone get my broom?"  
"Yep. Amanda put it back for you."  
"Well that turned out better than the last time I fell off."  
"Yep it did. Except that you were hurt worse this time."  
"I seem to have this thing for falling on my head." Harry said. Ginny laughed.  
"Well I should go tell Hermione that you're alive before she has a fit. I'll come back later to check on you." She smiled at him and left.

Later that day, Hermione came to see him. Harry didn't have his eyes open but he could tell it was her. She came over to his bed, stopped, and then turned around and left. Nice to see you too, Harry thought. About an hour later, Ginny came back. She must have thought that he was asleep, because she sat down in the chair next to his bed and didn't talk.  
"Hi Ginny." he said.  
"How'd you know it was me?" she asked  
"The way you walk."  
"What?"  
"I could hear you walking." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Everyone else shuffles their feet when they walk. So if there's no shuffling, I assume it's you."  
"Oh." Harry noticed that she looked worried.  
"What's wrong?"  
She looked away from him. "Nothing."  
"Come on, what is it?"  
"It's nothing."  
"Something's wrong." Ginny sighed. "Come on. You can tell me."  
"Hermione told me not to."  
"Why not?"  
"She doesn't want you to worry."  
"Too late."  
"Harry, I just can't..." Harry could hear the bell ringing in the distance. "Oh shoot. I have to go. Sorry, I'll come back later." She got up and went running out of the hospital wing. Right, Harry thought. Well that made sense... He spotted the nurse running around between the beds.  
"When do I get out of here?" he asked her.  
"You'll be lucky if I let you go home this summer." she replied.  
"I can't be hurt that bad."  
"Oh really? Try to sit up then." Harry tried, but the pain in his shoulders and neck overcame him, and he gave up. "I rest my case." She said, and moved on to the next bed.  
"But what about my classes?"  
"The headmaster has already talked to your professors."  
"But..."  
"No buts. You're not leaving that bed until I tell you to." Harry sighed dramatically and put a pillow over his head. He had to get out of there... but how... He listened to the nurse shuffling around the room, and then into her office. Harry took the pillow off of his head and looked around.  
"Potter." Harry heard. He turned his head and looked at Malfoy.  
"What?"  
"Watch out for Weasley." Harry gave him a confused look. "You know what I mean." Harry did understand, but why was Draco Malfoy, of all people, warning him?  
"Yeah I do, but why do you care? You're on Voldemort's side anyway."  
"I didn't choose to be. Now listen. Voldemort knows that you're hurt. He's gonna have Weasley jump you any day now. So watch yourself." Harry was still confused as to why Malfoy cared.  
"Whatever." Harry said. Malfoy got up and snuck out of the hospital wing. What does he mean by he didn't choose to be? Harry thought. You're either for or against Voldemort. Maybe his dad made him... but still. Malfoy hated him so much that he'd probably throw a party the minute he was killed. So why was he warning him? The nurse came toward him, holding a small purple bottle.  
"Drink this. You need some sleep." she said. Harry knew better than to argue. He took the potion and fell asleep before he could put the bottle down.

Harry walked down the hallway, and hit in a corner. McGonagall and Dumbledore were talking. He glanced out the window and saw that it was late at night.  
"But Albus, he's been gone for four days." McGonagall said  
"I know. I've sent Hagrid out to check the forest, and some members of the order are looking around Hogsmeade." Dumbledore replied.  
"Do you think he could have done something drastic?"  
"No. At least, not because of the quidditch match."  
"He is a teenager. You know how emotional they get sometimes."  
"Yes I know." Dumbledore said, McGonagall paused for a while.  
"Albus... you don't think he'd..."  
"No." Dumbledore answered, as if he knew what she was going to say.  
"Should we tell Harry?" McGonagall asked.  
"No. Not yet. There is no real danger yet."  
The dream faded away, and Harry woke up. Five days later, Harry was still in the hospital wing. He wondered who was missing. The only students he'd seen since the accident were Ginny and Malfoy. And it was a he... Ron, Harry thought. It has to be Ron. Harry looked outside, and saw that it was dark. It was kind of hard to tell the time of day, because the lights were always on. Hermione must be having a fit. As if on cue, the door opened slowly and Hermione crept in, with Ginny closely behind her. When she got closer, he noticed that Hermione looked like she was ready to cry.  
"What is it?" he whispered.  
"I didn't want to tell you... but..."  
"Hermione, hurry up." Ginny said.  
"Oh... but I..."  
"We don't have all night. If we get caught in here we'll have detention till the end of the year." The thought of detention made Hermione go faster.  
"After the quidditch match..." she sighed. "Ron went somewhere... and we haven't seen him since."  
"We just heard McGonagall and Dumbledore talking. They don't sound too confident." Ginny said. Harry's jaw dropped. "What?"  
"Nothing." Harry thought it was a bit odd that he had just had a dream about the same thing they had just heard. "When was the last time you saw him?"  
"Right after the match. He didn't even stay to hear that we had really won." Ginny said.  
"Neville told me he saw him near the forest that night." Hermione said. "But they've sent Hagrid out there. Maybe they'll find him."  
"It's been over five days Harry." Ginny said. Harry knew why they bothered coming all the way up there to tell him. They wanted him to save the day, again. He shook his head.  
"I can't do anything."  
"Yes you can." Ginny said.  
"No, I can't. I can't even sit up."  
"Since when have injuries ever stopped you before?" Ginny asked.  
"Sorry... I just can't do it this time."  
"I can't believe you! You won't go out there to help your best friend?"  
"Well I don't see you two doing much either."  
"We were on our way out there today. But we realized that there are some things in the forest that we won't be able to fight. That's why we risked getting detention to come get you. We're going to try again tomorrow night."  
"I'm sorry. I wouldn't be much help." Ginny was about to argue back, but the light in the nurse's room came on, and the two of them quickly snuck out. Harry pretended to be asleep. He thought about what Ginny had said. Since when have injuries ever stopped you before? she'd asked. It was then that he decided that even if he couldn't do anything, he wasn't going to leave Ron out there. He was going to find a way to get out of there and go with them the next night.


	33. The Blue Lights

"You're crazy." Ginny said. "It'll never work."  
"Yeah it will." Harry said  
"You don't think anyone's gonna notice you flying out of a window?"  
"At two in the morning, I doubt they'd care."  
"How do you expect to get you're broom up here?"  
"That's the easy part. The hard part is getting you and Hermione down there on time." They both fell silent as the nurse walked by. When she had moved on, Ginny said:  
"Harry, you can't. You almost broke your neck a week ago. There's no way you're gonna be able to..."  
"You're the one that wanted me to do it anyway. Remember?"  
"Yeah but..."  
"Well then don't go telling me not to."  
"But..."  
"Look. Just get Hermione and yourself out there tonight, and I'll meet you. Okay?"  
"But your neck..."  
"Do you want Ron to come back?"  
"Yeah."  
"Then get yourself down there on time."  
She sighed. "Alright. I'll go tell Hermione." Harry watched her leave. He wasn't sure exactly how physically ready he was for what was coming, but he didn't really care. Ron needed help.

Later that day, Hermione came running into the hospital wing. "Have you gone mad?" she asked Harry.  
"Probably."  
"You can't..."  
"Hermione, just do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do. Okay?"  
"But..." Harry sighed. "Alright... well at least use this." She pointed to the bed side table and muttered a few words. A neck brace appeared on the table.  
"That won't help much." Harry said.  
"Just wear it. If not for your sake then for mine."  
"Okay whatever."  
"See you tonight." She said as she walked away.

Harry watched the nurse as she walked into her office, locked the door, and blew the light out. He quietly sat up and reached for the neck brace that was hidden between his bed and the bed side table. He slipped it on, still wondering why he needed it, grabbed his wand, and went to the window. "Accio Firebolt." he whispered. In a few minutes, his broom came floating up to the open window. Harry pulled it inside and checked to see if the nurse had noticed. She hadn't. Harry got onto his Firebolt and flew slowly down to the ground. He couldn't see Ginny or Hermione. Where are they? He landed and looked around. Suddenly something touched his shoulder. "What the..."  
"Shh!" Ginny said. "Get under here before someone sees you." Harry was pulled under his invisibility cloak. This is odd, he thought. I didn't tell them to use this. He looked at Hermione.  
"I felt a little safer with this. Just sneaking around is too noticeable." she said  
"Whatever." Harry said. He looked over at Ginny. "You're late."  
"Filch." Ginny said. "Come on. Let's get this over with."  
"Wait." Hermione said. "Harry? Remember last year when we went in there? Do you think the centaurs are still mad?"  
"Maybe. But they got their buddy back when the professor came back. Either way, we're invisible, so it won't matter."  
"Do you plan on staying invisible the whole time?" Ginny asked.  
"No I don't. I plan on you two staying invisible the whole time." Harry said.  
"What?" Ginny said.  
"You're not going in there alone." Hermione said.  
"No. Not alone. Just not invisible." Harry explained.  
"What about you're broom?"  
"It'll be fine till we get back."  
"Shh." Ginny said. She pointed ahead of them. "Hagrid." Harry looked up. Hagrid's light was still on. The three of them walked as fast as they could. Fang started barking.  
"Great." Hermione said. The door on Hagrid's hut opened, and Hagrid stepped out.  
"Who's there?" Hargid said. Hagrid looked straight at them. Suddenly Ginny pulled them over to the side of the hut.  
"What was that about?" Harry asked.  
"Your shoes. He saw your shoes." she said.  
"Harry?" Hagrid said. "I know that was you. I'm not lettin' you go in there, Harry." Too bad, Harry thought.  
"When I say three, run for it." Harry whispered. The girls nodded. Hagrid came around the corner.  
"Harry I know you're against that wall. Come on out." Harry slipped out from under the cloak. "Who else is under there?" Hermione and Ginny came out too. "I know ya want to save yer friend, but I can't let ya go in there. It's too dangerous. Now come on. I'll take you back to the castle."  
"Three!" Harry said. He and Ginny bolted into the forest, but Hermione wasn't fast enough. Hagrid grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. She screamed.  
"No! Let me go! Harry!" she called. Harry stopped.  
"Come on!" Ginny said. "He'll get all of us if we don't keep moving."  
"She's the only one that knows where we're going." Harry said  
"Harry! Get back here!" Hagrid screamed.  
"We can deal without her." Ginny said. There was a loud crash from behind them. Hagrid was chasing after them.  
"Alright let's go." Harry said. The two of them went running through the woods. Eventually they lost Hagrid, but Harry could still hear someone chasing them. "Ginny wait." he said. He threw the invisibility cloak over them at the same time that a centaur galloped past.  
"Why don't they like wizards?" Ginny asked  
"Long story. Just stay away from them." They started walking. Harry wished he knew where he was. "You have any idea where we are?"  
"In the forest."  
Harry sighed. "Where are we supposed to go? It's not like there's a sign."  
"No clue. Too bad the centaurs hate us. We could ask them." Ginny said.  
"Firenze." Harry said.  
"Who?"  
"The centaur. The one that taught astronomy last year."  
"Oh. What about him?"  
"He likes humans. If we could find him..."  
"They all look alike!" Ginny said. "How're we supposed to find him?"  
"I dunno."  
"Great plan."  
Harry sighed again. "Shut up. At least I try."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry didn't get a chance to answer her. A group of centaurs was behind them. He pulled her into some high weeds. They both ducked down as low as they could get. The centaurs stopped right in front of them.  
"There are humans in the forest. I can smell them." One of them said.  
"Any idea where they are?" Another one asked  
The first one stopped and sniffed the air. "They've been here. Not long ago. Keep an eye out."  
"Probably Firenze's doing." A third one said  
"Yes, well, he'd better hope he finds his friends before we do." The second one said. They galloped away.  
"Friendly." Ginny said as they stood up.  
"We should probably wear this." Harry said, throwing the cloak over them.  
"What good will it do if they can smell us?"  
"Dunno."  
"Real good plan you have."  
"I never have a plan." Harry said "It just kinda happens."  
"Alright..."   
"Shh!" Harry said. He heard galloping behind them. Harry pulled Ginny into the weeds again. He caught a glimpse of the centaur as he ran past them. "Firenze!" Harry shouted  
"What are you doing?" Ginny whispered. Up ahead, the centaur stopped.  
"That's Firenze." Harry whispered back.  
"Who said that?" Firenze asked.  
"Me." Harry said, stepping out from under the cloak.  
"Oh. It's you. So you're the human that they're all going crazy over."  
"Yeah. Ginny and I."  
"Who?" Firenze asked. Ginny pulled the invisibility cloak off of herself. "I see."  
"We need your help." Harry said.  
"Is this about the other humans?"  
"Other humans?" Ginny asked.  
"Some centaurs said that they saw two young wizards come into the forest a few days ago."  
Two? Harry thought. "Did you see them?" Ginny asked.  
"I thought I saw one. Either that or it was a small centaur."  
"Do you know where they went?" Harry asked.  
"I can show you the path that will take you there, but I will not go with you." Firenze said.  
"Why not?" Ginny asked.  
"They say something lives there. The stars have been arranged oddly during the last month. The other centaurs think it is an omen."  
"Alright then. Show us the path." Harry said. Ginny and Harry followed Firenze under the invisibility cloak. Harry reached up and pulled off his neck brace.  
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked.  
"This isn't helping me any."  
"Harry..."  
"I can't fight anything if I can't turn my head to see it."  
"Here it is." Firenze said. "Be careful. You don't need to hide. No other centaurs would dare come this close." Harry pulled the cloak off of them and left it in the weeds.  
"Thanks." he said to Firenze as he galloped away. Harry turned to Ginny. "Remember where this is." he said to her.  
"No problem."

Harry crept down the path. Ginny was very close to him. They had been walking for a while, and they hadn't found anything. Harry was thinking of giving up, when something up ahead of them moved. Ginny gasped. Harry held his wand up, ready to strike... the thing ahead of them whimpered.  
"It's Ron." Ginny whispered. "I know it is."  
"Shh." Harry said. The two of them moved slowly down the path. When they got close enough to actually tell that it was Ron, Ginny ran to his side, while Harry kept looking around.  
"Ginny!" Ron said. "How did you..."  
"Shush." Harry said.  
"Harry? How'd you find me?"  
"Long story." Harry saw something moving in the corner of his eye.  
"Harry, you have to run." Ron said  
"What?"  
"Run! Take Ginny and run. Get out of here."  
"We're not leaving without you." Ginny said.  
"You have to. She'll find you."  
"Who's she?" Harry asked, but he never heard the answer. Just then something hit him in the back of the head, sending a shock of pain down his back. Harry fell forward and...

When Harry woke up, he was lying on the ground. Ginny was next to him. He reached over and shook her. "Ginny." he whispered, but she didn't respond. Harry wondered where Ron was... he sat up and looked around. Everything was dark. Suddenly, in the distance, he saw a bunch of blue eyes coming at him. The blue lights, he thought. When the things got closer, Harry's nose told him they were vengeance deamons. Oh crud, Harry thought. "Ginny." He whispered, shaking her harder. "Ginny!"  
"She's not going to wake up." Harry heard. "Lumnos!" The forest was lit up, and Harry looked up at Voldemort.  
"You..."  
"Yes me. It's always me. Haven't you figured that out yet?"  
"I knew it was you."  
"Oh really? Then why do you sound so surprised?" Harry couldn't come up with a good answer. He looked at the eyes that kept getting larger. Blue lights... blue eyes... he should have known. If this year had been like the others, they would have figured that out months ago. But it wasn't like the others... "I'm curious, why are you so attached to that girl?" Voldemort asked, pointing at Ginny. "Every time I see her, you're right behind her." Again, Harry couldn't think of an answer.  
"What did you do with Ron?" Harry asked  
"Who? Oh, him." Voldemort said, pointing his wand into the distance. Harry caught a glimpse of Ron, lying flat on his back, with his head facing the other way. "I think we both know what happens to people who don't obey me." Harry's jaw dropped. "Oh come on. You can't be that surprised. We've been at this for five years now."  
"I'll get you for this..." Harry said.   
"Funny how you keep saying that." Voldemort said "But it never seems to happen, does it? But you know what? I think I've figured it out. If I try to kill you myself, it never works. If another person tries to kill you, that won't work either. So... what about another animal?" He looked up at the deamons, which were now standing in a circle around them. "I don't really know if you can classify those as animals. I think you know where this is going. But first, I'd like you to know of another silly little girl that betrayed you." Voldemort turned around, went into the forest, and came back with Cho. "And now since I have no use for any of you, I think I'll let my friends have some fun." He snapped his fingers twice, and the deamons started to growl. "Oh, and don't bother looking away. It won't work. Farewell... although I know you won't."  
"Wait!" Cho said. Voldemort turned. Harry could see that he looked very annoyed. "You said you wouldn't hurt them."  
"Are you stupid?" Harry asked as he got up. "Haven't you heard of what he does to his victims? I know you have. I told you myself." Harry looked at Voldemort. He looked surprised.  
"Well... since you two have this all figured out..." He turned and started walking through the forest. His light went with him. Cho turned and looked at Harry. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something -  
"You have to be the stupidest person I've ever seen." Harry said. He watched the blue eyes walking around them. "Where's my wand?"  
"I dunno."  
"Where's your wand?"  
"Right here." she said, holding it up. Just then the light went out.  
"A little light would be useful!"  
"Harry?" he heard. It was Ginny. "Harry... what's going on?"  
"Lumnos." Cho whispered. The forest was lit up. Harry jumped. He hadn't realized how close the deamons were. Ginny screamed.  
"Harry..."  
"Ginny... it's alright." he said as he looked for his wand. "We've gotta find my wand."  
"Even if you had it... you wouldn't know what to say..." Ginny said.  
"Do you?" Harry asked. She didn't answer. Harry stooped down and grabbed her shoulders. "Ginny! Do you know the spell?" She nodded. "What is it?"  
"B-b-b-an-er-an-if-icio. I-it's for demons, b-but I guess it would work."  
"Baneranificio." Harry repeated. He found his wand and stood up. Cho's light went out. "Baneranificio!" A bright blue light lit up the forest, and when it faded away, the deamons were gone.  
"Wow." Ginny said. "That was a bright light."  
"Lumnos." Cho said again. Harry looked down at Ginny. She jumped up.  
"Ron!" she screamed. She ran in his direction. Harry dropped his wand and followed her.  
"Ginny! Wait!" But she was already on her knees next to Ron. Harry came up beside her. Ginny reached out and touched Ron's neck.  
"Well... he's still breathing." she said. Ron opened his eyes and looked up at them.  
"But..." Harry said "He said..."  
"He missed." Ron said. "I was playing dead." Ginny slapped him.  
"You stupid git! You scared me to death."  
"Sorry." The light went out again.  
"Cho!" Harry said. He heard someone running away. "Well she's certainly less than helpful."  
"Hold on." Ginny said. Harry could hear her crawling past him. "Lumnos." she said. She threw Harry's wand at him. "Don't drop it next time." Harry lit his own wand and looked around.  
"Umm... anyone remember the way out?"  
"That way." Ron said, pointing over toward Ginny. "Hey, I remembered something."  
"Ginny?" Harry said. "Could you get him?" Ginny turned around and floated Ron closer to them. They walked back down the path.  
"Harry! Wait." Ginny said as she reached into the weeds. She pulled out his invisibility cloak and threw it to him. "Wouldn't want to forget that."  
"Thanks."

They continued walking. Harry had no clue where he was going. He asked Ron, but he didn't know either.  
"Great." Ginny said. "Now we're lost in a forest full of people hating centaurs." But where are the centaurs? Harry thought. He asked Ron and Ginny.  
"That's a good question." Ron said. We should have seen one by now, Harry thought. Just then he felt the ground shaking.  
"Get down!" he said. The three of them dove into the weeds. Ron hit the ground hard and screamed in pain.  
"Ginny!"  
"Sorry."  
"Quiet." Harry whispered. A very large group of centaurs came running down the path.  
"What is it?" one of them asked. "What's going on?"  
"The thing!" another shouted. "It's attacking the school. Hide before it chases us!" He's attacking the school, Harry thought. But he's afraid of Dumbledore... the group of centaurs ran on. Harry looked at Ron.  
"Why would he attack the school? He's scared of Dumbledore."  
"Dumbledore isn't there." Ginny said.  
"What?"  
"He left yesterday."  
"Why?"  
"I dunno. I just saw him leaving." Harry stood up.  
"We have to get back to the school."  
"Harry." Ron said. "He'll use the deamons."  
"He banished them." Ginny said.  
"There are more. Hundreds more. I've seen them. I think he breeds them."  
"Eww."  
"Let's go." Harry said. "If the person Voldemort fears most can't be there, then the person he can't get rid of will be."


	34. Attacked

Harry walked to the edge of the forest. Ginny was at his side, and Ron was behind them.  
"Wonder where Hermione went." Ginny said.  
"Hermione?" Ron asked  
"Yeah. She was with us, but Hagrid stopped her."  
"He probably took her back to the castle. Stay here." Harry said. He walked up to Hagrid's hut and looked into one of the windows. Hagrid was feeding Fang. Harry turned around and went back to Ron and Ginny. He threw his invisibility cloak on Ron.  
"What's this for?" Ron asked.  
"I think he'd notice someone floating around, don't you?"  
"True."  
"Ginny, start going that way." Harry said as he pointed "Try to get back to the castle without being noticed."  
"What am I supposed to do with Ron?" she asked  
"Take him with you. Try to make it back to our dorm."  
"Shouldn't I take him to the hospital wing?"  
"No. To the dorm."  
"But -"   
"Go!" Ginny sighed and started walking along the forest. Harry waited a few seconds and then followed her. He watched as she went up to the castle and then inside. Harry went back for his broom, which was still where he'd left it, and then flew up to the owlery. He wanted to write a note to Dumbledore. They needed him here. "Hedwig!" Harry called as he wrote. "Hedwig, come here." The snowy owl flew down and landed on his shoulder, looking very annoyed. "Take this to Dumbledore. Go as fast as you can." He went to the window and let her go.

The Fat Lady was gone. Harry had come up to her picture, but she was gone. He looked at a few other pictures. She wasn't there either. Neither were the people who were supposed to be in them. Well that's odd, Harry thought. He tried to pry it open. No luck. Maybe someone's inside... Harry pounded on the door. No one answered. Where is everyone? "Hello?" he heard from behind the portrait.  
"Hermione?"  
"Harry?"  
"Yeah."  
"Alright. Step back." He did, and then the door flew open and Hermione fell out. Harry jumped forward and grabbed the picture before it could close. "It keeps getting stuck shut. The only way to open it is to ram yourself against it."  
"Right..." Harry helped her up and they both went inside. "Where is everyone?"  
"Asleep. It's five AM."  
"But what about the pictures? And the professors?"  
"What about them?"  
"The pictures are empty, and I didn't see anyone on my way back."  
"Everyone has to sleep sometime." Suddenly she jumped forward and hugged him. "I'm so glad you found Ron. I knew you could do it. You - where did your neck brace go?"  
"I took it off." Her jaw dropped. "Come on. Let's check on Ron." The two of them went up to the dormitory. Hermione immediately went to Ron, while Harry dug through his trunk. A few seconds later he pulled out the map. Harry sat down on his bed and looked at it. Besides the clusters of students in four different areas, there was no one on the map. No one at all. No Snape, no McGonagall, not even Mrs. Norris was there. Harry stood up and took the map to Hermione and Ron.  
"See?" he said to Hermione.  
"Oh my gosh." she said. "Where is everyone?"  
"I told you." Ron said. His eyes got really wide. Hermione covered her mouth. "Harry..." Ron pointed to the map. Near the whomping willow were two dots: Peter Pettigrew and Tom Riddle.

Harry got up and went for the door. "Harry? Harry, no!" Hermione said. "You can't go out there."  
"Would you like to?"  
"Not particularly."  
"Then sit down and shut up. I'll be fine." Hermione got up and stood between him and the door.  
"Harry, you can't. I won't let you."  
"Listen. Just stay here, take care of Ron. I'll go out there, chase them away, and everything will be peachy." He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the door. "Now if you'll excuse me." He opened the door and headed for the exit, but then Harry stopped. He'd heard something. A pounding sound. Something was pounding on the dormitory doors. The dream... he'd had a dream... exactly like this. (Those of you with a good memory will remember that.) Something pounded on the door, then he'd get up and run to his dormitory, then... oh crap, he thought. Harry turned around and sprinted up the stairs. Semus, Neville, and Dean were slowly backing out of the dorm. Hermione was screaming. Three deamons had her cornered. The others were all over Ron's bed.  
"Harry," Semus said "What the hell are those things?" Harry ignored him and stepped into the dormitory. A few of the deamons turned to look at him.   
"Baneranificio!" Harry screamed. There was a bright light. Hermione looked up at Harry, and then ran over to Ron.  
"Ron!" she screamed. Harry was afraid to look at Ron. He knew what he'd see. He'd seen the same type of thing not to long ago, except that time it was himself. Instead, he went back out to the three others.  
"What's going on?" Neville asked.  
"Vengeance deamons. Voldemort's attacking the school."  
"He can't." Semus said. "Dumbledore-"  
"Is gone."  
"Well this is a lovely predicament. At least you got them." Harry laughed.  
"You think that's it? He has hundreds more. Voldemort is standing right next to the willow right now."  
"So... what's the plan?" Neville asked. Harry turned back around and went over to Hermione, who was frantically trying to stop the bleeding. He tried not to look at Ron.  
"How can I get into the girl's dorms?" Harry asked.  
"Skip the third step. That's the one that sets off the spell." Harry turned around again.  
"Which one of you knows a barrier spell?" Dean said that he did. Harry took him to the entrance to the boy's dormatories. "Go on."  
"The whole dormitory? I dunno... I've never tried anything like that..."  
"Well now's your chance." Dean tried, and it looked like he'd done it. Of course the only way to tell was to get a deamon near it. "Alright, listen. You two," Harry pointed to Semus and Dean "Stay right here. Neville and I are going to go into the girls dorm's and get them all over here. Make them go in there. On the off chance that the barrier spell doesn't work... baneranificio. It banishes them." The other three nodded.

"Why'd you pick me?" Neville asked.  
"Just shush. Jump over the third step."  
"This feels so wrong." Harry jumped and looked down the hall. At the other end was a group of deamons.   
"Start waking them up." Harry watched Neville go into the dorm on his right. At almost the same time, the deamons began splitting up and going into the dorms. This is taking too long..."Blastansma." Harry said. A large ball of light came out of his wand, and then exploded, making a very loud sound. "Everyone out of bed! Let's go! Don't ask questions. Get into the boy's dorms or stay here and die. Your choice." The girls were confused, but when they saw the deamons, they took off running to the exit. Harry made another explosion. The deamons weren't liking that at all. Harry ran down to the end of the hall. "Baneranificio!" A group of the deamons disappeared, and the others fled. Neville and Harry began helping the girls that had been injured. Harry was handing one of them to Semus when Neville said:  
"Do you smell that?... Smoke..." They ran back into the dorms to find the back half of the hall on fire.  
"Is there anyone left in there?" Harry asked.  
"I dunno."  
"Tell Semus and Dean to get the girls together. See if anyone's missing." Harry began putting the fire out, but decided it was useless and went to the boys dorms. The girls were crowded in the hallway, along with a few boys. Everyone seemed to be there... except... "Where's Ginny? Semus! Did Ginny come out?"  
"No. I didn't see her."  
"Her dormitory is the twelfth one on the left." one girl said. Harry nodded and ran back into the girl's dormatories.

"Ginny!" Harry called. Nine, ten, eleven... he stopped to put out the fire in front of him, and then called again. He went into the twelfth one. "Ginny!" He heard her cough. "Ginny?"  
"Harry?" She called back.  
"Ginny you have to get out of there."  
"I can't. I'm stuck." Harry crawled over to her. The bottom half of her was caught under a wardrobe that had fallen over. "It's too heavy to lift." Harry tried to lift it. Ginny managed to pull herself free. The door on the wardrobe opened. "Harry look out!" Something that was covered in flames fell out of the wardrobe and onto Harry's left arm. Harry grabbed his wand and put it out.  
"Come on." he said. They helped each other out of the girl's side and into the boy's. "You have to go put that fire out." Harry told Semus. "Get a few others and go put it out." Semus nodded. Harry and Ginny went into his dormitory and lied down on the floor so they could catch their breath.  
"You alright?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded. "The answer to that was no. Your arm-"  
"I'll be fine." Harry sat up and looked at Hermione. "Is he gonna live?"  
"Yeah, he'll be okay. He needs to get some medicine soon, or else - oh my gosh! What happened to your arm?"  
"It's nothing. I'll be fine." Hermione continued to protest, but Harry ignored her. Mark Evans was over by his bed. "Mark. Get me that paper on my bed." Mark picked up the Marauder's Map and brought it to Harry. "Thanks."  
"You need to be more careful with that thing." Hermione said. "You forgot to turn it off." Harry looked at the map. Yes, he had forgotten. But now there were several more dots on the map, including a lot of the professors. Wormtail and Voldemort were gone, and where they had been was a new dot that said Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore.  
"Now they show up."

About five minutes later, McGonagall entered the dorms and started to get the most injured students onto floating stretchers and into a van from St. Mungo's. She seemed surprised that there weren't that many. Apparently the other houses hadn't been able to stop the deamons. Ron was the first to go. Hermione looked like she was going to cry. "He'll be okay." Harry said to her. She nodded. "Hermy." Harry knew that Ron called her that sometimes. She looked up.  
"Only Ron's allowed to call me that."  
"Ronny's gonna be alright, Hermy."  
"Shut up." She acted annoyed, but Harry knew that it had made her feel a little better. McGonagall came back for the rest of the injured people. Hermione helped Harry and Ginny up. Ginny didn't look injured, but she limped badly and had a few bad burns. They were floated outside where they crowded into the van with the others. The vans looked small, but inside they could fit up to fifty people. There were enough beds for thirty.  
"We need there to be more than one person per bed." a witch said "We have a few more to get in here." Harry and Ginny shared a bed. Ginny leaned back and put her leg up on the bed. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. Ginny pulled him back.  
"Lean back. You deserve to take a break." Harry leaned back. Ginny slumped over a bit and put her head on his chest. Harry put his good arm around her.  
"Alright, let's go." The witch said. The van shook. Harry looked out the back window to see the ground shrinking away underneath them. "Hold on everyone. We'll be there soon."


	35. Afterword

Okay, it's over! I know you must be thinking 'Holy aunt jamima walking sticks! You wrote that fast!' Well, not really. I hade it finished over a year ago, so I just copied and pasted. ;)

Anyway, the real purpose of this little note is to tell you about the sequel to this story. It's called Harry Potter and the Fairy Princess. As I'm still writing this one I won't have it posted nearly as fast. Here's something to get you interested:

"So what'd you want to tell me?" Harry pulled her over to a couch. He wanted this to be private… but he wasn't sure how to begin… "You had another dream, didn't you?" Harry was amazed, but he should have known she'd know. He had told her every one of his dreams that he'd recently had, in hopes they might be able to figure something out.  
"Yeah. It was the same as the one before, except it back tracked a bit."  
"Excuse me?"  
"It started at an earlier point."  
"So what'd you see?"  
"It was like – a hospital – a war hospital. Blood and bandages and nurses everywhere."  
"Go on."  
"Only, some of the nurses were only kids. I mean, they were our age. I think I saw you, actually. I was trying to figure out where the hell I was, and then I heard the scream, and I was outside."  
"And the rest of it goes as before?" She asked. Harry nodded.  
"This means something." He mumbled.  
"What?"  
"I dunno. Something important though. I don't know what I should do."  
"That's the third one this week, isn't it?" Harry nodded. "Well, the only way you'll get some sleep is-"  
"I don't care about the sleep. There is something much more disturbing going on here." He fell silent.

It's completely pre HBP, even though there's no way I'm going to finish writing it by the 16th. Anyway, come check it out. Any reviews are welcomed. :)


End file.
